Volkswagen’s ID3 is everything you want in an electric car & there are six more models on the way
CALL it redemption, call it what you like. But there’s no doubt Volkswagen is making up for the Dieselgate scandal by reinventing itself as an electric car pioneer for the masses.
Good. So it should.
VW Group has promised 25 all-electric models by 2023, all built on its new MEB modular electric drive platform. That’s at least six from VW, plus Audi, Seat, Skoda and Porsche.
Ford has also signed a deal to use MEB parts for its own small electric car in 2023.
VW Group aims to sell 20million battery-powered cars by 2029 – and it all starts here, with the Golf-sized ID3.
Put simply, this is the most important VW since Beetle and Golf. Even bosses call it the “third chapter”.
So, it’s the people’s EV, then.
After finally driving one, I’m pleased to say I like it. A lot. And so will you.
It’s everything you want from an electric car: Smooth, sophisticated and easy, with hot-hatch acceleration and the turning circle of a city car. And, of course, it’s a VW, so build quality is excellent.
BETTER LOOKING
Bonus points for the pause and play pedals – for brake and accelerator.
And also for the simple 5.3in display behind the steering wheel showing speed and range. And also for the simple rocker switch for drive, reverse and park.
I also like the thin light bar that runs across the bottom of the windscreen and flashes to the right when the satnav wants you to turn right. Or left, to go left.
I like the armrests, too, the carpeted door pockets and the general feeling of space.
I also like the adaptive cruise control, the heated steering wheel and microfleece seats using recycled plastic bottles.
Key facts: VW ID3 FIRST EDITION
- Price: £35,880
- Battery: 58kWh
- Power: 204hp, 310Nm
- 0-62mph: 7.3 secs
- Top speed: 99mph
- Range: 260 miles
- CO2: 0g/km
- Out: Now
And I like the fact the boot – at 385 litres – is a little bigger than the Golf’s. So it’s practical for the big shop at Tesco, where you can recharge for free.
It’s also much better looking than a Nissan Leaf.
I’ve just read that back, there’s a lot to love here – but I do have two gripes.
I don’t care much for the fiddly touch-slider controls for volume and air con, also seen in the new Golf. There’s nothing wrong with a simple knob.
And no Apple Car Play? Hello? That’s being sorted.
ID3 will come in three battery sizes (45kWh, 58kWh and 77kWh) and a maximum range of 340 miles.
Don’t be put off by the £35k price tag for this First Edition because the standard mid-size battery car will start at £29,990. Which means the smaller battery ID3 coming next year should cost around £26k-£27k.
Other observations. ID3 is rear-wheel drive, like the original Beetle, and the motor and gearbox unit are small enough to fit in a gym bag. They weigh 90kg.
ID3 will be followed by the ID4 crossover next year. An additional motor can be placed on the front axle to make it 4WD.
Expect to see a Polo-sized ID2 in the future, as well as a dinky ID1.
Other ID models already confirmed include an estate, saloon, seven-seat SUV and ID Buzz, the electric equivalent of the Transporter van and California camper.
VW is on a charge.
Apple of my ID
WHEN we were growing up, luxury was all about walnut and leather. Now we’re pay extra and feel better driving cars made with more sustainable and recycled materials . . .
- VW promises future ID models will feature AppleSkin, a plant-based leatherette using leftovers from making apple juice.
- BMW has the biggest green credentials. The electric i3 uses aluminium recycled from drink cans and the dash and door panels are made from sea grass and unbleached eucalyptus wood.
BMW is now working to use reclaimed sea plastic as front wings. - FORD is working with Heinz to develop bioplastic parts from tomato fibre.
- AUDI and POLESTAR are making carpets from reclaimed fishing nets.
- MAZDA is using cork on its centre consoles.
- Drive a Range Rover Evoque with Kvadrat seats? Then you’re perched on 53 recycled plastic bottles.
Most read in Motors
Are YOU EV ready? 2 key questions
A LOT of people think an electric car is not for them.
For some, it is true. But there are a lot more people it will suit — they just don’t know it yet.
If you can switch to an electric car, it will significantly cut your carbon footprint and improve local air quality.
The cherry on top is saving a load of cash. There are only two very simple questions you need to ask yourself:
Do you drive less than 50 miles a day?
Can you charge your car at home or at work?
If you answered Yes and Yes, you are ready to join the eco revolution.
Actually, here’s a third question:
If you can’t live without a petrol or diesel car in the family, do you have a second car?
Because most second cars are only used for shuttling around the local neighbourhood, doing the school run and so on — and an electric vehicle (EV) is perfect for that.
As the saying goes, no one likes change, but you will be surprised at how smooth and easy electric cars are to drive.
Impossible to stall. Quiet. And fun. With instant torque at zero rpm. The kit list is mostly generous, too.
That’s why the outstanding Vauxhall Corsa-e has just been crowned The Sun Car of the Year — and, as part of our special Green Week, you can WIN one. See page 25 inside Thursday's Sun for details.
Now let’s be clear. The list prices of electric cars are high — even including the £3,000 plug-in car grant.
But running costs are lower than petrol — 3p a mile in electricity compared to around 11p a mile for petrol — and maintenance costs are lower because there are fewer components.
Plus, you’ll pay no road tax or congestion charge.
The cheapest four-seat electric car on sale today is the Seat Mii Electric at £19,800. Finance from £199 a month. That can do up to 161 miles between charges. The Corsa-e starting at £27,665, or £299 a month, can do 209 miles non-stop and can recharge to 80 per cent in 30 minutes.
Can’t afford to buy new? Hunt around for a used Nissan Leaf or Renault Zoe.
We can debate all day long about where the power for electric cars comes from but the simple fact they have zero tailpipe emissions is a good start.
And what about CO2 emissions from producing electric vehicles? It’s also true that in the early days EVs weren’t as green as first thought, with parts being shipped all around the world.
Join The Sun's 'Green Team' & save the planet
MAKING simple everyday changes can add up to a BIG difference to the planet.
And we want you and your family to join The Sun's Green Team - our eco revolution.
It can feel overwhelming to know how to play a part in reducing greenhouse gasses, but we will be showing you the practical steps we can take to curb climate change - with the help of the global ‘Count Us In’ initiative.
And our easy measures will even help you SAVE money so your household budget goes further.
We'll help you to reduce food waste, insulate your home, create tasty planet-friendly meals and take simple steps to trim your carbon footprint.
We want you to go online to sign-up to as many of our special Green Team pledges as you can manage and a special calculator will show you how much carbon you will personally save.
It won’t cost you a penny but the total you and your family will save will be added to the global ‘Count Us In’ total and the platform will support you every step of the way.
So tap here to pledge.
These days EV production is becoming smarter and Volkswagen Group is leading the way.
Not only is the new ID3 emission-free, the factory making it is carbon neutral and runs purely on renewable energy. As do many VW Group suppliers. So no polar bears were harmed in the building process.
VW Group was the first car maker to sign up to the Paris climate agreement.
My view is that we need a multi-fuel future. Electric vehicles for towns and cities, hydrogen for long distances and our buses, trucks and trains.
Hydrogen refuels as quickly as petrol, and emits only water. No CO2. No NOx. Just H2O.
To conclude, then. If you can switch to electric, you’d be saving the planet . . . and cash.
Read More on The Sun
Tempted yet?
- WE have teamed up with the groundbreaking global Count Us In initiative to urge Sun readers to help shrink their carbon footprint.
If every reader signed up to three pledges, it would save 42million tonnes of carbon . . . the same amount of emissions of the entire UK agriculture industry.
One of our seven pledges asks you to drive electric, and that can also just mean test driving an electric vehicle.
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