First versions of VW’s £36,000 ID.3 electric car land in the UK
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Volkswagen’s highly-anticipated next-generation electric car has arrived in Britain.
First editions of the ID.3 hatchback have driven off a container ship at Grimsby Port this week, which will be prepped for delivery to customers later this month.
ID.3 is VW’s first purpose-built pure-electric model. It will have a range of 260 miles between charges and these high-spec early examples cost £36,000, once you factor in the £3,000 government subsidy for EVs.
The E-agle has landed: Images show the first Volkswagen ID.3 electric cars landing on UK soil this week
Currently, the 1st Edition variants are the only examples available in Britain.
Cheaper versions are due to follow, with the £38,800 asking price (£35,880 inclusive of the Plug-In Car Grant) with Volkswagen promising up to seven different specifications across the range.
The ID.3 – which is around the same size as a VW Golf – was unveiled last September.
However, eco-conscious buyers haven’t been able to place an order for one until 22 July.
Andrew Savvas, managing director at Volkswagen UK, said: ‘The moment we’ve been waiting for is here – the ID.3 has officially arrived in the UK.
‘This milestone represents the dawn of a new mobility era for Volkswagen after the success of the Beetle – and ongoing success of the Golf – with the aim of providing accessible electric mobility for millions, not just millionaires.’
The high-spec 1st Edition ID.3 hatchbacks were driven off a container ship at Grimsby Port this week
ID.3 is VW’s first purpose-built pure-electric model. It will have a range of 260 miles between charges and these high-spec early examples cost £36,000, once you factor in the £3,000 PiCG
The all-new electric cars will head to dealers where they will be prepped for delivery to customers later this month
He adds: ‘The ID.3 is also our first carbon-neutral car, as well as being an all-round, game-changing electric vehicle, so this moment is especially rewarding. Put simply, it signposts the sustainable future of Volkswagen.’
The ID.3 range can be extended by 26% (if you drive super efficiently)
Despite having a range of 260 miles, VW says it has taken the ID.3 on a 330-mile trip on a single charge
Volkswagen says it has already proved the ID.3’s distance capabilities, with the company driving one from the factory it’s built in Zwickau, Germany, to Schaffhausen in Switzerland on a single charge.
That’s a journey of 330 miles, which is 26 per cent more than the 260-mile claims.
VW says the electric mule was a series production ID.3 ‘1st Pro Performance’ with the same 58kWh battery that’s fitted to the cars that have just arrived in the UK.
The route driven was entirely public roads and highways, though with ‘hypermiler’ Felix Egolf, at the wheel.
The term ‘hypermiling’ – which originated in the US – refers to driving with maximum efficiency to minimise consumption.
For the most impatient customers who are expecting one of these pictured cars to be arriving at their front door donning a new 70 number plate in September, they will get a plug-in model with a 58kWh battery pack and a 201bhp electric motor.
This provides a claimed driving range of 260 miles on a full battery – enough to take you from London to Newcastle Upon Tyne in one stint without stopping for a recharge.
Performance figures aren’t too shabby either, with the ID.3 quoted as being able to accelerate from 0-to-62mph in 7.3 seconds and onto a limited top speed of 99mph.
Charging speeds of up to 100kW are achievable, meaning 180-miles of driving range can be replenished in half an hour at a rapid charger.
What separates the 1st Edition from the rest of the ID.3 range is unique ‘1st’ badging, exclusive 19-inch diamond cut wheels, LED Matrix headlights and a jet black finish on the roof, boot door, rear spoiler and side skirts.
Inside, it gets the range-wide 10-inch touchscreen, digital instrument panel and a relaxing ambient lighting system with 30 different colours.
Unique to all 1st Edition variants will be the ‘ID.Light’ full-width LED bar across the width of the windscreen.
This can change colour and patterns and even be used to provide supplement information to the driver and passengers.
Volkswagen UK bosses described the car’s arrival as a ‘milestone’ that represents the ‘dawn of a new mobility era’ for the vehicle maker that still remains embroiled in the emissions cheating scandal
The ID.3 will be able to accelerate from 0-to-62mph in 7.3 seconds and onto a limited top speed of 99mph
What separates the 1st Edition from the rest of the ID.3 range is unique ‘1st’ badging, exclusive 19-inch diamond cut wheels, LED Matrix headlights and a jet black finish on the roof, boot door, rear spoiler and side skirts
Mr Savvas added: ‘I can’t wait to see these first ID.3 cars out on the road, after customers collect them from retailers later this month.
‘This is only the beginning, however, with the series versions of the ID.3 incoming, and the ID.4 on its way. The future is now.’
While VW is yet to officially reveal the new ID.4 electric SUV – the second model in the standalone ID range – leaked images from a Chinese government website in June has shown the production-ready vehicle in all its glory.
Skoda unveiled the Enyaq iV electric SUV this week. It has a UK starting price from £30,450 with a maximum range of 316 miles
The Enyaq (left) is the sister car to the forthcoming VW ID.4 (right). And this slidey image shows the similarities of the models built on the same platform
Skoda’s latest car – the new Enyaq iV revealed earlier in the week – is the sister car to the Volkswagen and is built on the same MEB platform as its German counterpart.
It was unveiled this week with a UK starting price from £30,450 with a maximum range of 316 miles.
At just over 4.6-metres long, the Enyaq iV is fractionally shorter than Skoda’s current largest SUV, the Kodiaq and has a 585-litre boot, making it a practical family car.
Prices for the ID.4 are likely to be marginally higher, given the premium usually added for the VW badge.
Leaked: Images that had been uploaded to a Chinese government website were revealed online showing the full exterior of Volkswagen’s forthcoming ID.4 electric SUV
The pictures show the production-ready car with badges in place and mounting points ready for registration plates to be fitted
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