First electric Volkswagen ID family vehicle debuts for European market

(September 10, 2019) FRANKFURT, Germany — Volkswagen is launching into a new era of environmentally friendly mobility and will showcase the fully electric ID.3 at Frankfurt Motor Show this week. The first model from the MEB product line for electric vehicles impresses with the high levels of driving dynamics characteristic of electric cars.

It has been fully networked and, in the ID.3 1ST special edition, enables electrically powered ranges of up to 420 kilometers (261 miles) with initially three equipment variants.


All ID.3 1ST models feature the most popular battery variant that provides a usable energy content of 58 kWh. The series production version will later also offer a smaller battery option with an energy content of 45 kWh and a range of up to 205 miles as well as a larger battery with an energy content of 77 kWh and a maximum range of 550 kilometers (342 miles).

Thanks to its fast charging capability, at a charging output of 100 kW it is possible to recharge the ID.3 1ST with enough energy within 30 minutes to cover a range of around 180 miles —a significantly longer range than had previously been possible in the compact vehicle segment.

Volkswagen will offer a guarantee of eight years or 100,000 miles on ID.3 batteries, thus safeguarding longevity.

The ID.3 also signals visually that it is more than just a new model. Its visionary design clearly indicates the new era of electric mobility, while its spatial arrangement fully benefits from design advantages provided by electrically driven vehicles. With external dimensions comparable to the Golf, the ID.3 provides a vehicle interior that is larger than that in any other vehicle in its category.

As the basic price for the series production model will be under €30,000 ($33,000) in Germany, the vehicle’s price will be comparable to that of typical compact vehicles following the deduction of the anticipated government subsidies — an electric car for the masses. Particularly noteworthy is its unique price-range ratio that is possible solely as a result of Volkswagen’s consistent strategic alignment towards electric vehicles and the associated scaling effects. The ID.3 will be delivered in Germany from mid-2020.

The ID.3 not only offers a completely new vehicle concept, but also gives drivers and passengers the opportunity of mobility with a CO2-neutral balance providing the battery is consistently charged with naturally produced energy. Consequently, the ID.3 embodies the new Volkswagen mission statement: “goTOzero”: by 2050 the entire Volkswagen Group aims to demonstrate a CO2-neutral balance.



The Volkswagen brand alone will invest around 9 billion euros $9.9 billion) in electric mobility by 2023 and produce more than 10 million electric vehicles over the next 10 years; more than 20 e models are planned.

The ID.3 is the first Volkswagen based on the newly developed, modular electric drive matrix — abbreviated to MEB. All future ID. models will also be exclusively available with fully electric drive. This drive has been optimized around the battery to achieve maximum ranges while keeping costs to a minimum. Thanks to the design approach there are also numerous benefits in terms of the package, i.e. the arrangement of drive components and auxiliary units as well as the space arrangements in the vehicle interior.

The ID.3’s electric drive primarily consists of the permanent-magnet synchronous motor including power electronics and gearbox, which have been integrated into the rear axle. A high-voltage flat battery that has been efficiently arranged in the underbody to save space, as well as auxiliary units, such as air conditioning compressor or steering rack, that have been integrated into the vehicle front end.

The power electronics control the high-voltage energy flow between motor and battery and in this process, the system converts the direct current (DC) stored in the battery to alternating current (AC) for the drive motor. The 12 V DC electrical system is simultaneously supplied with low voltage by a DC/DC converter.

Power is transmitted from the motor to the rear axle using a 1-speed gearbox. Motor, power electronics and gearbox form a compact unit. The position of the battery in the underbody has a positive effect on the neutral handling characteristics, as it causes the ID.3’s center of gravity to be very low, like in racing cars.

The ID.3 is also characterized by ideal weight distribution between front axle and rear axle. In combination with the standard rear-axle drive this results in outstanding performance.

The ID.3 is the first vehicle of an entire family and all members of the Volkswagen ID. range will feature the ID. designation. Its clear objective is to help electric mobility break through on the mass market. ID. stands for intelligent design, identity and visionary technologies. In this process, ID. is not an abbreviation for a certain term, but rather symbolically represents the various properties united in these vehicles: automated driving with zero emissions, intuitive operation and personalized networking.