New Volkswagen ID 3 – all electric

Overview

New electric vehicles are beginning to roll out with increasing regularity and Volkswagen, the company that brought us Dieselgate, is pushing aggressively into the EV space. Under the guidance of CEO Herbert Diess, VW has launched a formidable electrification strategy, and at its heart is an entire lineup of cars dubbed ID. The first is the ID.3, so named because VW says it's the company's "third big idea." The first was the original Beetle, and the second was the Golf. Those are some big footsteps to follow.

We just spent a day behind the wheel of the ID.3. The ID.3 is a compact hatchback that will be followed by the crossover ID.4. The United States will get an ID.4 imported from Germany in 2021, but production will shift to VW's plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 2022. The ID.3 is the first of the EVs, and it likely provides a good preview of what the ID.4 will be like, as both share the new MEB platform. Other Volkswagen Group brands such as Audi, Seat, and Skoda will get their own spinoffs, and there will even be an MEB-based Ford. In Germany, the ID.3 starting price is about $42,000, but less expensive versions are coming.

The ID.3 comes with a motor mounted just ahead of the rear axle and a single-speed transmission. The only versions available at launch make 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque; a downgraded version of the same motor with 143 horsepower is coming soon. A battery with 58 kWh of usable energy is standard, and a 77-kWh battery is optional. The larger battery offers considerably more range, of course, but its additional weight dampens acceleration. Fitted with the 58-kWh battery, the ID.3 weighs a claimed 3814 pounds and can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in roughly 7.2 seconds. The larger battery bumps the weight to more than 4000 pounds, and we estimate the sprint to 60 mph will take 7.6 seconds. Both versions top out at a governed and unimpressive-to-a-German 99 mph, even though we're told theoretical top speed would be closer to 120.

Acceleration is brisk right up to the ID.3's terminal velocity. Passing maneuvers are quick and effortless affairs that require little planning. It is fun to drive the ID.3 quickly, and the damping is on the stiffer side compared to similarly sized EVs. But it won't be confused with a GTI. There is still quite a bit of body roll around fast corners, the brake pedal has a lot of travel, and while the steering is precise, the ID.3 is no go-kart. What's more, the electric power steering can be clearly heard during quick maneuvers. Overdo it, and the non-defeatable stability-control system kicks in.