What does that actually mean in terms of charging times? Well, the OTA update will shave off as much as nine minutes from the time it takes to replenish the battery pack from 5% to 80%. In addition, the software revision comes along with a new Battery Care Mode that once activated, it won’t allow the owner to charge the battery to more than 80%. Doing so will increase the battery life’s, therefore changing the pack should be less of a concern.

The revised software will be baked into newly assembled ID.3, ID.4, and ID.5 models going forward, meaning future owners won’t have to download the OTA update after taking delivery of the vehicle. The changes planned by VW for its trio of dedicated electric models available in Europe also include support for bidirectional charging, but once again, only for the vehicles fitted with the 77-kWh battery.

Also on the way is an updated infotainment system structured in a clearer way. For example, the charging menu will be displayed at the top level. There’s an Online Route Calculation built into the navigation system that automatically calculates multi-stop route planning for extended trips in such a way as to reach the destination as quickly as possible. It does the necessary calculations based on the provided traffic and route data and how much battery charge the driver still wants to have at the end of the journey.

The tweaks will arrive in the near future and chances are equivalent EVs from Audi, Skoda, and Cupra will follow suit.

Source: Volkswagen

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German magazine Auto Bild has learned from VW the ID.3 built from November onwards will see its infotainment upgraded from the current 10-inch setup to a more generous 12-inch diagonal. Not only that, but the touch-sensitive slider to adjust the climate settings will receive illumination for ease of use during the evening.

The revised ID.3 coming in just a few weeks will also receive better fabrics in some parts of the interior cabin while the higher-end trim levels are going to be fitted with fancy Alcantara on the door cards for a more premium feel. VW Passenger Cars’ boss Ralf Brandstätter told Auto Bild these changes are being made as a result of criticism received from customers.

A more substantial update is already planned for early 2023 as VW is moving forward with the mid-cycle update’s launch for the ID.3. The zero-emissions hatch is set to get a more upmarket interior with decorative stitching instead of plastic, completely new door cards, while the exterior will feature a redesigned hood and different fenders. At the back, the LED taillights will also be tweaked.

The ID.X hot hatch concept is also expected with the facelift, bringing a dual-motor setup with all-wheel drive and plenty of punch. It’ll likely go by the name of ID.3 GTX, but don’t expect as much power as the concept since VW will dial down the electric motors to churn less than the 329-hp output of the ID.X.

Source: Auto Bild

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Their requests might be answered one day as a company representative has told Auto Express an ID.3 GTX is officially being considered. Before you get your hopes up too high, it’s important to mention a final decision has not been taken it. According to VW’s board member for sales, marketing, and aftersales, Klaus Zellmer, the engineers are “looking into it” and the company as a whole is “constantly looking at possibilities.”

Should the ID.3 GTX get the stamp of approval from the higher-ups, it would likely utilize the same hardware as the ID.4 GTX unveiled this week. The performance SUV offers 295 horsepower for a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint in 6.2 seconds. The hatchback would likely end up a tad quicker due to a lower curb weight, but it’s too soon to know for sure.

Beyond a potential GTX-badged hatchback, VW will be expanding the EV performance lineup with the launch of an ID.5 GTX as a coupe-styled alternative to the speedy SUV introduced yesterday. The wraps are coming off before the year’s end when the German brand will also present a standard rear-wheel-drive, single-motor ID.5. Europe and China will be getting the new SUV first, with other markets to follow in 2022.

Without giving any model names, Klaus Zellmer expressed his desire to grow the GTX lineup as the electric counterpart of the gasoline GTI, diesel GTD, and plug-in hybrid GTE models. He believes GTX represents the “most aspirational derivative in the lineup,” and we’d argue a hotter ID.3 is exactly what’s needed to please hot hatch fans in the EV era.

Source: Auto Express

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You see, those who have already taken delivery of either MEB-based vehicles still have to visit their dealers to receive what VW refers to as the ID. Software 2.1 that unlocks support for OTA updates. The flip side is, this little inconvenience is only a one-time affair as future OTAs will be implemented without having to take the car to a VW dealer.

In addition, the ID.3 and ID.4 vehicles built from the calendar week 8 already have the necessary ID. Software 2.1, meaning new OTAs will be installed without the customer having to drop by the workshop.

VW is currently testing the first OTA update on more than 3,000 company cars and says the software will be pushed to customer cars soon. Interestingly, the German automaker promises to roll out a software revision once every three months. Specific details about the improvements that come with the updates have not been disclosed, with VW only referring to “optimizing software performance, these may also include new functions and customization options.”

Additional ID models are in the pipeline, including ID.5 and ID.6 SUVs while an entry-level ID.1 city car could arrive later this decade as a cheaper alternative to the ID.3 compact hatch. In addition, the ID. Buzz concept will revive the spirit of the Microbus in 2022, but with an electric twist. VW is not abandoning the once traditional sedan body style as a couple of saloons are also on the agenda.

It’s safe to say all of these electric vehicles from the ID lineup will support updates on the fly and it would make sense for equivalent models from Audi, Skoda, and SEAT riding on the same MEB platform to have this feature as well.

Source: Volkswagen

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It hasn’t been green-lighted for production yet, but VW’s man in charge of the passenger car division says it’s “a very tempting idea.” Brandstätter goes on to mention an ID.3 Convertible would “provide an entirely new, extraordinary feeling of freedom” and the company is having internal discussions whether an open-top variant of the electric compact hatchback has a business case.

We wouldn’t hold our breath for a production model to happen in the foreseeable future considering demand for convertibles has dramatically decreased in the last couple of decades. The VW core brand used to have models such as the Eos and Golf convertible, but the sole car with a retractable roof in its lineup is the T-Roc serving as a rather odd convertible crossover mashup.

VW wouldn’t be the first to offer a purely electric convertible as there have been other models in the past, including the Tesla Roadster and Smart EQ ForTwo Cabrio. The former will return for a second generation while the latter is still available in select markets. An ID.3 Convertible wouldn’t compete with either, but we’re sure VW has bigger fish to fry at the moment.

People generally want crossovers and SUVs nowadays, so it would make more sense to expand the portfolio of ID models with additional high-riding vehicles. In fact, the ID.5 and ID.6 are already planned to capitalize on what seems to be a never-ending SUV boom. An electric convertible would be a niche within a niche, so the customer base would be rather limited.

Source: Ralf Brandstätter / LinkedIn

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The signs have always been there, if you were interested enough to look for clues, but the shift in mentality has been slow and the adoption of electric vehicles on the main stage has been even slower. Some factors did play important roles in this shift though, like the climate change. A lot of people consider electric cars to be just gimmicks and they tend to dismiss them as a true, green alternative to fossil-fueled models. The jury is still out, but even so, the fact that we can control where the emissions happen (be that in the production cycle or where electricity is made) is a step forward because, in turn, we can take measures to reduce their impacts even more.

The DieselGate Influence

Electric cars are seen by many as an easy way to make a contribution to this cause. They also present several advantages over traditional cars, but the shortcomings are not to be ignored either. That said, up until late last year, we didn’t really have a mainstream option – available worldwide – in the field of EVs. Especially one with a practical interior, decent range and more than decent price tag to go along with it. Until the Volkswagen iD.3 came out.

Volkswagen has a lot to make up for but, in all fairness, if it wasn’t for the the Dieselgate scandal, the biggest car-making group in the world probably wouldn’t have pressed the acceleration pedal towards electrification. The Dieselgate exposed a lot of bad practices which in turn have changed our perspectives on the car industry. Call it the silver lining, if you will. Diesel sales have gone down and electrified models have started becoming more sought-after. That shows you just how big Volkswagen is and how it can influence an entire industry and the way people think.

Therefore, when they announced a new electric vehicles platform, the world stopped and listened. And the Germans used all of their knowledge and experience to make sure this product delivers.

The name tells you that this was designed, from the get go, to mark a new era for automobile engineering. ID stands for Intelligent Design and will be used for every car built on the MEB bespoke electric platform from here on out. The ‘3’ marks the car as VW’s third revolutionary model after the original VW Beetle and the Golf. And those are truly cars that wrote history one way or another.

Lessons Learned From The Popular Golf Model

The Golf was the main inspiration here. Even though VW already had the e-Golf on sale for quite some time and the electric version of the best-selling hatchback ever made was improved over time, it still had plenty of shortcomings, mostly related to on the platform it was built on. However, that’s not why VW decided to use it as an inspiration. It was its footprint instead.

Looking at the size of the iD.3 on the outside you’ll soon notice is not longer or wider than the Golf. And there’s a good reason for that: this is the perfect size for a practical, all-rounder. Therefore, the iD.3 is a bit taller but in other aspects, is as close as it gets to the popular hatchback.

Using a bespoke electric platform means the engineers and designers had more room to play with than it was the case on the e-Golf. Therefore, the axles are pushed as far towards the front and rear ends of the car as possible, to maximize the room inside and improve handling. One more reason why the overhangs are so short has to do with the the handling department.

With a longer wheelbase, engineers are also able to squeeze bigger batteries on board because, yes, the iD.3 has its batteries stored in the floor, just like any other EV out there today. And it’s not lacking in that department either but we’ll get to that later on.

All of the advantages of the MEB platform are visible from the moment you look at this car, but, more importantly, get inside. The interior is simple, ergonomic and clear cut. You get an airy feeling inside, the greenhouse of the car is tall and the windows are generous, allowing a lot of light to protrude inside. The ID.3 also comes with a nice trick, starting itself once you’re inside. All iD.3 models come with keyless entry and keyless go but with a twist.

The car will unlock itself when it senses you’re approaching it. Once you’re inside, it will turn itself on as it has sensors inside the driver’s seat, telling the computer you are sitting in it. Therefore, all you have to do is select ‘Drive’ using the gear selector on the right side of the screen – which does look eerily close to the one on the BMW i3 – and set off.

A Practical Interior

Since the start button is hidden away on the side of the steering column, you won’t feel the need to press it because is out of your line of sight. The same goes for when getting out of the car. The iD.3 will shut itself off without you having to press any buttons.

The seating position is rather high though, and that’s understandable. I was expecting the driving position to be as low as on the e-Golf but I somehow forgot that there’s a hefty set of battery cells sitting in the floor, which means every seat inside was lifted. Therefore, despite its exterior footprint, the iD.3 feels like an MPV when driving it. You’re sitting high and have a commanding view of the road ahead. Visibility on all sides is rather good too, with the A-pillar being split to offer even better viewing angles.

As for the rest of the interior, it’s all very practical and to the point, with some notable exceptions. You see, this is supposed to be a next-level car and sometimes, even experienced car makers can make mistakes in how they design their cars. Inside the iD.3 you’ll find only 3 physical buttons: the Park button and the window regulators. Other than that, everything is now a touch-sensitive surface. I get that for the infotainment screen. All cars today use touch-sensitive screens and I don’t mind that, but in the iD.3 things are taken to another level.

Thankfully, most of the buttons work great, like the ones under the infotainment screen, for the climate controls and media. Then there are other buttons that don’t really work right, like the ones on the steering wheel. You’re supposed to slide your finger over them for specific actions and they just don’t work right. It takes a long time to get used to them.

The volume button on the dash is a touch-sensitive slider, as are the controls for the temperature. All looking nice but less practical than traditional knobs. And the fact that they don’t light up at night doesn’t help either. Thankfully, the infotainment system is easy to use and you can just adjust everything from it.

There’s ample room inside and the seats are just as VW got us used to: firm but comfy. For some they might seem bit too firm but at least you can get a massaging feature if you want to. There are also plenty of storage spaces inside and a nice phone charger in the center console, if you don’t have a phablet. The same roomy feeling is offered to those sitting in the back as well, with ample room for grown adults up to 6-ft tall.

What’s interesting is that the rear seats are actually higher than the front ones for two reasons: packaging and practicality. The iD.3 has its motor in the back so a couple of changes were needed in terms of packaging, to accommodate everything back there. Then there’s also the fact that by offering a higher seating position for the rear passengers, they can also get a good look at the road ahead, a rather nice touch if you ask me.

A Rear-engine, Rear-drive Setup From VW

But how does it drive? In a nutshell: surprisingly well.

This is the first car with a rear-engine, rear-drive setup from Volkswagen since the aforementioned original Beetle and there’s a reason why Porsche uses this architecture on the 911. There’s an inherent weight transfer felt inside the car and a rather expected instant response from the pedal whenever you press it to the metal. Just nudge the go-faster pedal and you’re on your way, in typical EV manner.

The car is rather heavy because of its massive battery pack, tipping the scale at 1,720 kilos in this configuration, but since most of it is close to the ground, you don’t really feel it. Our tester was the middle version as there are three battery packs you can choose from. The smallest has a 45 kWh capacity, followed by a 58 kWh model (the one we had) and a top of the line version with 77 kWh. It’s important to note that these are the net figures, the batteries actually being capable of storing more energy but, as usual, have to set aside buffers to protect themselves.

There are also three different power levels for the electric motors. The least powerful version has 126 PS to rely on, while the most powerful goes up to 204 PS, with the middle-level entry tapping out at 145 PS. Our tester had the 204 PS motor which can also deliver up to 315 Nm of torque.

Therefore, we were rolling with 204 PS and a battery pack good for 58 kWh and this is one heck of a good combo. The power delivery is instantaneous and the rear end will slide if you push it hard in a corner. The front axle feels a bit light and could use a bit more grip but I won’t fault VW for choosing to have it a bit on the looser side of things. I’m pretty sure they did that to make sure the car doesn’t drag too much.

Speaking of which, the exterior design of the car, which may seem odd to some people, was done this way to make sure the iD.3 has a drag coefficient. Leaving efficiency aside, the car will accelerate at a brisk pace up to highway speeds and will cover long stretches of it easily. There’s some wind noise protruding inside the cabin at higher velocities but nothing out of the ordinary for an EV that can’t rely on the hum of an internal combustion engine to muffle some of it out.

Overtaking inside the city is effortless and the car feels right at home. There’s no one-pedal driving mode available but you can adjust the amount of regenerative braking the car does by entering “B” mode and you’ll instantly feel the car slowing down faster than before. Otherwise, the iD.3 is set up to coast as much as possible whenever you’re not accelerating. With a turning circle of 10.3 meters, the iD.3 also feels extremely agile around town, allowing you to park it without any issues. If that’s too much to ask, the car can park itself if you tick the right boxes.

Get it in Sport mode and the car feels like it was just woken up. You can have a lot of fun behind its wheel and the iD.3 is eager to follow your inputs, on all sorts of roads. Despite its weight, everything’s kept in check beautifully by the dampers and the engineers really did a good job in that department. Even hitting bigger potholes doesn’t ruin the ride despite the fact that we had massive 20” wheels on our tester. Something I wouldn’t necessarily recommend. But even in this configuration, the car felt comfortable and easy to live with, absorbing uneven surfaces and keeping its composure in a variety of scenarios.

As for the energy consumption, it was more than decent. Unfortunately, during my time with the car, the weather took a turn for the worse. It was cold and raining most of the time. As we all know, lower temperatures are known to take a toll on the range of electric cars. Therefore, my average energy consumption throughout my time with the iD.3 was 19 kWh/100 km covered.

Considering the temperatures were around 4 degrees Celsius all the time and the battery has a total usable capacity of 58 kWh, I’d say you could cover 300 kilometers (186 miles) easily on a single charge. Mind you, I never tried to get the best results out of the car’s range, using it almost exclusively in Comfort mode and with all the comfort features turned on (such as heated seats, heated steering wheel and AC, of course).

As for highway cruising, the average consumption I recorded at 130 km/h was 22.4 kWh/100 km, which means you could do about 260 km on a single charge at the European speed limit on the highway.

But beyond what these cold numbers imply, what I can tell you is that I never had range anxiety, unlike with other models. Apart from the large battery under me, the fact that I could recharge it at 125 kW chargers also gave me peace of mind. The iD.3 can use both AC chargers, up to 11 kW and DC fast-chargers, at up to 100 kW and 125 kW with an optional feature. Therefore, you can get up to 80 percent charge in 30 minutes using a 100-kW charger, more than decent for this day and age.

A Viable Competitor In The Segment?

Where does all of this leave us? Is this truly the one EV that could turn the tide in favor of this new trend? I think it is but not necessarily because the iD.3 is best car out there but for other reasons.

Some will instantly bring up the Tesla Model 3 into discussion whenever an iD.3 is mentioned and yes, the Model 3 might have better range, better performance and more power but it’s the company making it that’s the weak link here.

You see, Volkswagen, unlike Tesla, actually has the infrastructure and the facilities to make the iD.3 a mainstream option. It has dealers in every country on the planet, which means it can service these cars without an issue. It has a steady production flow that doesn’t just cover the cars themselves, but spare parts for them too (just try and order a stoplight from Tesla and see how long it takes before it gets delivered) and the servicing you might need.

With the iD.3 you don’t have to wait for months to get your car and you can also have peace of mind that if anything goes wrong, you won’t have to ship your car to a different state, to get it fixed but just drive to your nearest dealer. Chip in the pricing for the iD.3 and the practicality, more than decent range and driving dynamics and you get a complete package unlike anything else on the market today. Will that be enough to push this car into the mainstream?

I think it will but only time will tell.

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As seen below, this is not the first time Chevy is teasing the new member of the Bolt lineup as the company with the bowtie emblem has already previewed the side profile and the dashboard. It’s safe to say the Bolt EUV is a big deal for the company since it comes at the right time now that electric crossovers are becoming more widespread.

There’s another reason why Chevy sees the Bolt EUV as an important model taking into consideration it’s the company’s first production car to utilize General Motor’s Super Cruise self-driving technology. The zero-emissions crossover will ride on GM’s BEV2 platform rather than the company’s new modular global platform that supports the long-range Ultium batteries.

The teaser at hand allows us to take a good look at the swanky LED headlights with the dynamic turn signal in a slim headlight cluster with a “Bolt EUV” on top. As with many other recent cars equipped with LED technology, the light bar for the daytime running lights also doubles as the turn signal to lend the front fascia a modern look.

Expect the crossover version to add more utility compared to the hatchback as a result of a possibly increased footprint and better ground clearance. Since it will use a single electric motor rather than adopting a dual-motor setup with a rear-mounted motor, the Bolt EUV will be sold exclusively with a front-wheel-drive layout.

While today’s Bolt lacks a sunroof, you’ll be happy to hear the crossover will get one, likely as an optional feature. Judging by the teaser clip showing a section of the dashboard, both are expected to receive a nicer interior with materials of a higher quality and updated technology to keep up with the times.

Even though it has been teased several times already, the new Bolt EUV won’t arrive anytime soon as it’s earmarked for the 2022 model year. It’s scheduled to go into production next summer and that means customer deliveries will commence later in 2021. Chances are the world premiere will take place in the coming months.

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In this new video, we see Elon Musk test drive the Volkswagen ID.3 in Germany. Musk landed at Braunschweig airport in his schmanzy private jet and met Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess for a private test drive of the ID.3.

He only drove it around on the airstrip tarmac, which likely isn’t the most comprehensive of test drives but it’s still very interesting to see. The nature of this test drive and Musk’s purpose for meeting Diess are still unknown but it does show that Musk might be coming around on what the Germans can offer.

Of course, he could just test driving the competition and trying to see what the ID.3 is like. It is, after all, an extremely promising, inexpensive electric hatchback that could be hugely popular for many markets. However, he could have gotten his hands on one in different circumstances if he just wanted to test it.

Or just bought one to benchmark it, like so many car companies do with their competition. Either way, though, it shows that Musk is finally taking the Germans’ seriously enough to be considered major competition.

To be honest, it doesn’t seem like Musk likes the Volkswagen ID.3 all that much, unless he’s just keeping his opinions close to the chest. For instance, he damns its steering with faint praise, saying “for a non sport car, it’s pretty good”.

But why meet with VW CEO Herbert Diess, who is, for all intents and purposes, one of Musk’s biggest competitor. Is the Silicon Valley giant looking to maybe partner up with VW on some tech? Is he trying to sweet-talk some German industry giants now that a Tesla plant is in Berlin? Who knows but it’s certainly interesting.

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The Volkswagen ID.3 is built on the same MEB architecture that will underpin most future Audi EVs. For instance, the Audi Q4 e-tron will be an MEB-based car and there will be more to come. So if we want to understand what the Q4 e-tron might be like, we should look to the ID.3 for answers.

Admittedly, we don’t get the ID.3 in the ‘States, so we can’t actually test it, personally. However, we can turn to our European colleagues for answers and check out their reviews of the car.

In this recent review from Top Gear, we get an idea of what the Volkswagen ID.3 is like to drive and what it might mean for the Audi Q4 e-tron.

Judging by this review, it seems that there’s a lot to like about the ID.3 but also a lot to criticize. For instance, it’s a great driving car that feels rear-wheel drive. That’s important, as all MEB-based products will be rear-drive as-standard, so they will feel sportier than their front-wheel drive counterparts. Its steering is good and grip levels are high.

However, it lacks one-pedal driving (in which regenerative braking is so strong on throttle lift that the actual brake-pedal is rarely used), which is a desirable component in EVs. Making matters worse, the actual brake pedal feel and response needs a lot of work.

On the inside, materials are good, the seating positions are nice and the automated driving tech is some of the best in the business. However, it’s also a bit boring inside and Volkswagen touch-sensitive climate controls are finicky. Though, the Audi Q4 e-tron will be getting an interior that’s a bit different than the ID.3, so it might be better in those regards.

Still, this review gives us some optimism about the upcoming Audi Q4 e-tron. The driving dynamics are clearly there and the MEB chassis has potential. If Audi can put together a better interior (which it should) and give it one-pedal driving, the Q4 will be a force to be reckoned with in the EV market.

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We’re talking about the Connect app which manages the interaction with smartphones and without which you can’t use either the Apple Carplay or the Android Auto mirroring technologies.

Moreover, you won’t have access to the Volkswagen’s Digital Store, and to the high-tech augmented reality. The company advertised it a lot, so it’s a shame that it won’t be installed from day one.

The missing software features can’t be installed with an OTA software update, but you will need to bring the car to your dealership in order to update the car’s firmware.

Luckily, the problem will affect only a small part of the first 30,000 ID.3 models that have been sold, which are going to be delivered in September. From now on, you’ll be able to buy the already updated car instead.

This problem is due to the need for Vlokswagen to speed up the delivery times, both to gain time on the competition and to help the company to achieve the goal not to exceed the CO2 emissions values established by the European Union Volkswagen would have to pay some really expensive fines otherwise.

It is not clear whether the shortcomings of the early ID.3s may be a consequence of the software problems that Volkswagen faced last year or are attributable to other causes. What we know is that the German Group will do everything it can to solve these problems and it has planned investments for €33 billion between now and 2024. The Volkswagen brand by its own has planned to spend €11 billion to produce one million of electric cars by 2023.

If you’re interested in the Volkswagen ID.4 or in the little Volkswagen ID.1 (which is going to cost €20-25,000) don’t worry, these problems are going to be solved before the market release.

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