VW takes a big bet on the future of mobility. Europe will – or should be – driving electrified in the (very) near future. So VW got to work on an all-new platform which it will use on all its fully E-powered cars, and there will be many…

Indeed, VW is quite ambitious.  It wants to be the world’s market leader in electric mobility. The Group plans to launch up to 75 all-electric models by 2029.

It also asked its styling department to come up with a totally appealing Golf-sized car with much extra room however for passengers and their luggage, taking advantage of the space gained by the underfloor mounted engine and batteries, the short overhangs and the long wheelbase.

This car, the ID.3 should also be totally connected for the present and future generations, with all the possible driving aids and safety features included.

VW has succeeded. It builds in Zwickau a pleasantly practical, futuristic and good-looking hatchback which does it all. It has not only zesty power (150 kW) and smoothness, but also a very usable range.

We drove here for you the “1^ST MAX” edition with a lithium-ion battery with a net energy capacity of 58 kWh. Good for a WLTP range of 426 km. Well, eh, in practice some 330 km or thereabouts, as in practice, one uses heating or airco…

Read further for our findings!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Pleasing styling with a futuristic touch…

We must admit that VW designers have hit the ballpark. This ID.3 looks (very) good from any angle, with its dual tone paintwork, its nice spoiler and the superb surface treatment of all bodywork panels. The ID.3 has a clean, fluid angularity which has a timeless touch, directed towards the future. Flowing lines are found at the front, with the headlights looking like eyes. The low drag coefficient of 0.27 completes the picture.

This futuristic touch is also found even more in the interior, with its all-digital and well-placed screens, both in front of the driver and on the central console. The zesty atmosphere is further enhanced with the array of different mood lighting’s one can choose in the cabin. The ID. Light beneath the windscreen visually communicates with passengers. The ID.3 is largely operated via the multifunction steering wheel, the central 10-inch touchscreen or the “Hello ID.” intelligent voice control. The whole cabin is airy, welcoming and clean.

Daily interaction with the ID is so easy. Just step in, as the car automatically opens. Put the small handle just beneath the right side of the steering wheel in “D” or “B”, which lets you recuperate the kinetic energy and effectively brakes the car with 0,3 G when you lift the throttle, and off you go. At the end of the trip, just push the “park” button and step out. The ID.3 shuts itself and all its systems off.

All the functions on the 10-inch touchscreen are there. It takes some getting used to in order to navigate and learn all its clever functions, but most of it is very intuitive. The rest you will learn and grow accustomed to in a few days! The buttons on the steering wheel spokes also host an array of commands. The sound command lacked some progressiveness, but everything is quite clever and logical.

Driving the ID.3: a “zen” experience with a sporting touch…

Sliding behind the wheel in the ID.3 sets you in this friendly futuristic world, where you immediately feel at home, having found an ideal seating position in seconds. As said, driving away is the simplest affair. Overwhelmingly pleasing is the “feel” of immediate power under your right foot. Make no mistake: the ID.3 has a 150 kW/204 HP E-motor, with 310 Nm of torque. This means supercar performance, well almost. 0 to 100 km/h is silently reached without any effort in merely 7,3 seconds. This is a full two seconds faster than a ‘70s 911 T 2 litre Porsche Targa, to put anything in perspective…

Driving at legally allowed speeds is a dream in an E-powered vehicle, as it goes so silent and vibrationless.

Especially in urban areas where the new speed limits get ever more draconian, down to 30 km/h in many European inner cities, it is a delight to glide along the boulevards with the cruise control set at this speed.

Volkswagen is also returning to its roots with the electric motor: this is located at the rear and drives the rear wheels – as was the case back in the day with the Beetle. The electric drive motor achieves a maximum speed of 16,000 rpm and is coupled to a one speed gearbox and differential.

The motor is so quiet that it can hardly be heard outside the car. For this reason, a loudspeaker emits a synthetic electronic engine sound up to a speed of around 30 km/h in order to warn passers-by. It is efficient too: the permanently excited synchronous motor (PSM) reaches well above 90 pct efficiency no matter how (hard) you drive.

On winding secondary roads, the punch of the motor makes spirited driving also an undistilled pleasure. Handling and steering precision are also quite up to the mark, and the ID.3 indeed feels quite sporting. The state of the art platform architecture has located the large high-voltage battery between the axles. This means at the lowest point of the car, with also the weight distribution very close to the ideal value of 50:50.  

The suspension as a whole is on the rather firm side without being uncomfortable, but don’t expect a softly sprung car here. Of course, to achieve stable and precise handling with a 1,8 tonne car, the laws of physics command firmer suspension settings.

Suspension-wise, VW has put in the works: the ID.3 has a McPherson front axle and a complex five-link design at the rear. In town, even with the large wheels, its turning circle is just 10.2 metres. This makes the ID.3 quite nimble to drive in town.

Our test car came with beautiful 20 inch alloys.  Disc brakes with a disc diameter of up to 330 millimetres are fitted at the front, with drum brakes at the rear. Their great advantage is their robustness: the pads are designed for the service life of the car. And corrosion is not an issue, even though the wheel brakes are used only rarely in everyday driving, assures us VW.

On the motorways, cruising at legal speeds or even below that is the right thing to do. We  settled to a restful gait of some 105-110 km/h, nestled ourselves in the excellent seats and appreciated the fold-able middle armrest (the same are found in my classic 1963 MK 2 Type S Jaguar) and literally enjoyed the music through the excellent sound system, equipped with DAB+ radio of course. This transforms the ID.3 in a four wheeled, “zen”- moving concert hall. The sedate cruising speed also made the ID.3 reach easily the indicted WLTP ranges. By the way, top speed is 160 km/h, totally in line with the character of this ID.3.

Fast recharging…

Building the charging infrastructure  in Europe is now the greatest challenge ahead for many.

There are rosier times ahead: By 2025, Volkswagen Group will install around 35,000 charge points in Europe itself together with its retail partners. Many of these will be publicly accessible.

These will be complemented by the flexible, fast charging stations from Volkswagen Group Components, which can be set up wherever there is a short-term need, such as at major events. They become fixed charge points through connection to the low-voltage network and can charge two electric cars simultaneously with up to 150 kW thanks to their fast charging technology.

In Europe, ID.3 drivers can use already more than 150,000 public charge points. They benefit from attractive conditions in the IONITY fast charging network.

When you are so lucky to have a garage with electric connection or an individual home, VW has a ID. Charger, the new home charging station from Volkswagen. It is available in three versions, all of which offer a charging capacity of up to 11 kW. This allows an empty vehicle battery to be fully charged again in around six to seven and a half hours,depending on the model. The ID. Charger base model currently costs only 388 euros. The ID. Charger Connect and ID. Charger Pro offer full connectivity and can be controlled with the We Connect ID. app via smartphone.

In Belgium, the VW Importer D’Ieteren offers installation of charging stations to its customers via its EDI (Electric by D’Ieteren) subsidiary. More info on www.edi.be. 

Roomy and connected…

The ID.3 has almost the space and legroom of a VW Passat, and that is no small feat. Also the luggage space is quite adequate, with 385 liters. Wide bins in the doors lets you pack all the bottles and small items one needs.  

The electronics platform of the ID.3 has been newly designed from scratch. Two high-performance computers bundle a large number of functions, and the software is designed to be highly flexible like on a server. This makes it easy to download updates to the car, and in future also function upgrades, via a mobile network. The services of We Connect Start connect the car to the owner’s smartphone, allow control of charging and air conditioning, supply traffic information and also display live data about charging stations on the navigation map. App Connect (standard) permits media streaming via a smartphone.

Conclusion

The ID.3 has it all. It has formidable qualities, able to convince our European drivers to take the EV plunge. It offers good value for money, considering the car’s qualities and size. Driving it has been a pleasant experience, and the “zen” character of EV propulsion and the design and roominess  of the ID.3 are most endearing.

Hans Knol ten Bensel