Volkswagen opens order book for new ID.3 electric hatchback

Volkswagen has opened the order book for its new ID.3 ahead of planned delivery of the electric-powered hatchback in Germany in mid-2020, confirming it will offer up to three different battery capacities with ranges of 330, 420 and 550km on the latest WLTP test cycle.

Holding true to Volkswagen’s earlier claims that the ID.3 would be priced at similar levels to mid-level versions of the seventh-generation Golf, the first in an extended range of dedicated models to be launched by the German car maker under its new ID. electric car brand costs €30,000 (RMB 227,576 ) in entry-level 330km range guise in Germany.

This compares to the €27,285 (RMB 207,011) price tag of the gasoline-powered Golf 1.5TSI ACT Blue Motion in Comfortline trim in Germany.  

So-called pre-booking for the ID.3 was kicked off at an event held in the German capital city of Berlin on Wednesday, where Volkswagen’s head of sales, Jürgen Stackmann, confirmed plans for a limited edition ID. 3 launch model.

Called the ID.3 1st, the initial version of the new electric-powered hatchback will be equipped with what the Volkswagen describes as a “medium sized battery” offering a range of 420km on the WLTP cycle.

Limited to 30,000 units, the ID.3 1st will be offered with a choice of three different equipment levels in Standard, Plus and Max lines – the latter of which is set to feature a new augmented reality head-up display unit and panoramic glass roof among a standard equipment list including voice control and navigation functions.   

“With the start of pan-European pre-booking for the ID.3, e-mobility at Volkswagen will become concrete for our customers. From today, everyone can take part,” said Stackmann.

In Germany, the ID.3 1st can be pre-booked with a deposit of €1000 (RMB7587). The order becomes effective in April 2020. Up to that point, customers will be able to cancel their pre-booking without any charge, in which case the deposit will be refunded.

Pre-booking of the ID.3 is set to be offered in 29 European markets, including Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, France, the UK and Austria.

As an incentive, buyers of the ID.3 1st in Germany will receive free charging for the first year of ownership up to a maximum of 2000kWh at all public charging points covered by the Volkswagen charging app WeCharge.

By confirming the name of the ID.3, which was previously known as the ID. hatchback, Volkswagen has also made official the numeric naming scheme of its new ID. electric car line-up, which will be extended with production versions of the earlier ID. Crozz, ID. Vizzion, ID. Buzz and ID. Roomzz concepts in coming years.

Production of the ID.3 is planned to take place at Volkswagen’s Zickau plant in Germany. Production volumes are yet to be confirmed, though Stackmann says Volkswagen plans to deliver more than 100,000 ID.3s per year.

Chinese deliveries of the ID.3 are planned to start in 2021, according to Stackmann.