New Volkswagen ID 3: first examples of EV hit British shores
First batch of First Edition ID 3 models land in Grimsby port ahead of customer deliveries of electric hatchback
Volkswagen's pivotal EV, the ID 3, has finally reached British shores as the first customer examples roll off the ship at Grimsby port.
Earmarked for customers that pre-booked First Edition examples earlier this year, the fully-loaded models will be delivered over the next month. Volkswagen claims that the entire production and delivery process is carbon neutral, even including the shipping.
*Autocar's Volkswagen ID 3 2020 review*
The limited-run First Edition models are priced from £38,880 and were offered only to people who previously placed a £750 deposit. First Edition versions of the ID 3 will feature the mid-size 'Pro' battery offering a claimed range of 260 miles, and will feature special badges and extra kit. Buyers will also be offered 2000kWh of charging via We Charge, which Volkswagen claims is enough for 34 rapid charges and worth around £500.
General sales of the ID 3 are due to begin in the UK in the coming weeks, and the model will eventually be offered in seven main variants, with three different battery capacities and two power outputs.
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 head-up display (although these won't be offered on initial UK models) 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 is available, Silke Bagschik, Volkswagen's e-mobility sales chief, said: "The software is not yet up to Volkswagen 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. The First Edition model 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 19in alloy wheels, 30-colour ambient lighting, heated seat and steering wheel, and matrix LED front and LED rear lights. The First models will feature an Exterior Style Silver pack featuring a silver roofline and grey sills and bumpers. Buyers can choose from four exterior colours and three interior schemes.
The UK-bound models 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 for 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's 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 were able to buy their cars from 17 June onwards. The delay in the UK was due to the extra time required to gain type approval for right-hand-drive versions.
Volkswagen sales boss Jürgen Stackmann claimed 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.
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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*