New Volkswagen ID 3: UK specs for launch editions outlined
Volkswagen ID 3
Order books have opened for Volkswagen's electric hatch in Germany, with UK to follow in July
Sales of the pivotal Volkswagen ID 3 have begun in Germany and other European countries today (17 June), with order books for the special First Edition in the UK set top open next month. Deliveries are due to begin in the UK in September.
*Autocar's Volkswagen ID 3 2020 review*
There had been reports the hugely important electric hatch, the first model released on the Volkswagen Group's bespoke electric MEB platform, was facing delays to the impact of the coronavirus and a number of software issues with the car. But the model has now gon on sale in Germany as planned, initially limited to those customers who placed a refundable deposit ahead of its launch. In the UK, pricing for the ID3 First Edition is set to start from just under £39,000.
The late stages of the ID 3's development has been hit by well-publicised software issues, and the early cars delivered to customers in September will be without a number of software features, including the augmented reality functions for the car's augmented reality head-up display and some of the App Connect features. A free software update wil be offered once the systems are available, while early buyers can also choose to delay receipt of their ID 3 until the systems are fully ready.
Speaking about the decision to launch the car before the full software system was available Silke Bagschi, VW's e-mobility sales chief, said: "The software is not yet up to VW standards that we want to give to customers, but we wanted to give them the option of having the car and enjoying the driving experience of it as much as we are. And we will upgrade all the software when it's ready."
The electric hatchback will eventually be offered with three battery capacities and two power outputs, but it will be launched with just a special First Edition model. This will use the mid-size 'Pro' 58kWh battery for a claimed range of 260 miles. It will offer 201bhp driven through the rear wheels, 229lb ft of torque and a top speed of 99mph. The car can be charged through a 100kW DC connection or a 11kW AC system.
The mid-size Pro battery will eventually be offered with two power outputs, with a lower 143bhp version that will be aorund two seconds slower to reach 0-62mph.
The 45kWh Pure battery will be offered with outputs of 125bhp and 148bhp, while the largest 77kWh Pro S battery will use the 201bhp motor. Because of the extra weight of the battery, the Pro S model will only be offered with a four-seat layout.
In Germany, the ID 3 First will be offered in three trim levels: basic, Plus and Max - although only the mid-level version will intially be offered in the UK.
The ID 3 First cars offered in the UK will feature 19-inch alloy wheels, 30-colour ambient lighting, heated seat and steering wheel, and matrix LED front and LED rear headlights. The First models will featre an Exterior Style Silver pack featuring a silver roofline and grey sills and bumpers.
The UK-bound models will also come with a rear-view camera as standard, along with automatic cruise control, rear privacy glass and an anti-theft alarm. Notably, the mid-level ID 3 First models that will be offered in the UK at launch don't come with the top-level cockpit infotainment system that includes the head-up display. That means the only software upgrade UK buyers will require will be to add the full App Connect features.
In continental Europe, buyers of the first cars to be delivered will be given membership of a 'First Movers' club, which will include the eventual software update, with those leasing cars not paying any rates for the first three months. It is not yet known whether any of these initiatives will be offered to UK buyers.
General ordering for the ID 3 for those who haven't pre-booked will open four weeks after the car first goes on sale. Volkswagen has yet to outline trim levels and pricing for those models, or when various power levels and battery sizes will be introduced.
Volkswagen offered a pre-ordering service for the ID 3 First, with more than 35,000 customers worldwide placing a refundable deposit. Those who placed a deposit in continental Europe will be able to buy their cars from 17 June onwards, and Volkswagen sales boss Jürgen Stackmann said the UK will follow in July, due to the extra time required to gain type approval for right-hand-drive versions.
Stackmann also insisted that ID 3 deliveries remained on track to begin this summer, despite the extended production suspension at Volkswagen's Zwickau plant due to Covid-19.
“The focus of the company now is on ID 3,” said Stackmann. “We’re almost ready, and we just need a few more weeks to get the software to where we need it to be. The entire team are working on this topic, and we want to deliver a great quality product on time – and that time is this summer.”
Stackmann added that Volkswagen was still aiming to meet its target of building 100,000 ID 3s this year but that it might be unable to fully recover from the extended shutdown in the second half of the year.
Prices for the ID 3 in the UK will eventually start from around £27,500 before the government grant for the entry-level 45kWh Pure version. Volkswagen has yet to confirm a UK price for the First Edition but has said that it's expected to cost around £39,000. Buyers will be able to choose from four exterior colours.
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*Autocar's Volkswagen ID 3 2020 review*
*Volkswagen ID 3 delays continue as software problems mount*
*First drive: 2020 Volkswagen ID 3 prototype*