FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport said Volkswagen’s (VOWG_p.DE) new electric car, the ID.3, had fallen short of the carmaker’s usual standards of fit and finish, and had a limited operating range, when it reviewed the car ahead of its launch.

“The inner side of the hood looks like it was painted with a spray can,” the publication said, lamenting the absence of Volkswagen’s trademark build quality in a pre-production model they were testing in this week’s edition.

The criticism comes as Volkswagen chief executive Herbert Diess relinquished day-to-day management responsibility for the VW brand, following criticism by the company’s labor leaders over his management style. [nL8N2DL503]

Uneven panel gaps, an infotainment system which takes a long time to fire up, and a navigation system which fails to work were other features which the publication help up for criticism.

The powertrain and ride were good, but the operating range was only 359 kilometers, the publication said.

Volkswagen’s labour chief criticised the company’s electric car programme for falling behind schedule. VW in March rejected the criticism but admitted that the cars needed last minute improvements. [nL8N2B567P]

Volkswagen Chief Executive Herbert Diess last week drove the Tesla Model Y and praised the vehicle.

“This car is for us in many aspects (not in all!) a reference: user experience, updatability, driving features, performance of the top of the range models, charging network, range,” Diess said.

The VW brand plans to build 1.5 million electric cars by 2025. Volkswagen Group, whose brands also include Porsche, Audi, Skoda, Bentley and Bugatti, will launch 75 electric cars by 2029 and be capable of building 26 million vehicles.

VW has launched production of its electric ID.3 hatchback at a second site in Germany, converting its famed Transparent Factory in Dresden to EV production. A technological showcase, the Transparent Factory produced the VW Phaeton and the first-gen Bentley Continental Flying Spur when both models debuted over a decade ago, and it's now the second home of the ID.3 hatch after its Zwickau, Germany, plant kicked off production of the MEB platform family of cars.
The first model to be launched on the MEB platform, racing ahead of the ID.4 electric SUV, the ID.3 offers an EV experience in a Golf-sized package, and had almost caught up to the Golf in December 2020 when it came to sales in Germany. That's right: The ID.3 came close to eclipsing Golf sales in its home country a month ago, as Automotive News Europe noted, just as EV sales in Europe have surged dramatically over the past year.

"The Transparent Factory plays an important role within the Volkswagen brand: Here, visitors, customers, and guests come into direct contact with the mobility of tomorrow," said Danny Auerswald, site manager of the Transparent Factory. "We are a production plant, tourist attraction, event location, test lab, and delivery center—all in one. With the start of the production of the ID.3, we are giving the green light for our strategic realignment."

In Germany the ID.3 is offered with a choice of 58-kWh and 77-kWh batteries, and with a motor mounted just ahead of the rear axle producing 201 hp and 229 lb-ft of torque. With the smaller battery the ID.3 is rated at 260 miles in Europe in the WLTP cycle, while the larger battery stretches that range to 340 miles. The EPA range is estimated to land around 200 miles for the smaller battery, however, and could be a more realistic estimate of its real-world range. In Europe the ID.3 currently starts at around $39,000 before any government incentives, and will become even less expensive when the 45-kWh battery version becomes available later this year, offering 205 miles of range in the WLTP cycle.

However, the ID.3 is not headed stateside, at least not in the near term.
Dresden is now the second site for ID.3 production. The first MEB-platform model that will be offered in the states will be the ID.4, which is set to start arriving in dealerships in a matter of weeks, and will be joined by other electric VW models in the near term. The ID.4 itself will also be produced in Chattanooga, Tennessee, starting next year. But for now, it's the ID.3 that has been given a raucous reception in Europe just as the sun sets on the current generation of the Golf, and we have to wonder just what the ratio of ID.3s to Golfs will be when the next Golf debuts.

We also have to wonder if the ID.3 will eventually make its way stateside, as gas-engined cars (including the Golf itself) begin to fade from the scene over the next decade and a half.

Will VW be able to keep the ID.3 and even smaller EVs already in the works out of North America for long, even if it's the electric SUVs and crossovers that buyers are currently after?

"Volkswagen is continuing to pursue its electric offensive. In addition to new electric models, this also includes the transformation of the global production network," said Thomas Ulbrich, member of the board of management for electric mobility at Volkswagen. "At Dresden we are already converting the fourth Volkswagen site to the new ID. family and the MEB. At the same time we are ramping up volume production in the Zwickau electric car plant and in our two Chinese MEB plants every week. In doing so we reaffirm our ambitions to take on a role as global leaders in electric mobility."

Volkswagen has added another electric model to its global lineup, and it's from a brand that you probably haven't seen in person or even heard about. The automaker spun off the Cupra brand from its Spanish division three years ago, taking on the role of a performance-oriented but still affordable wing of SEAT, which VW has owned for decades. The Born electric hatch will be the brand's own version of the ID.3, with production set to start later this year.

Named for Barcelona's El Born neighborhood, the Cupra Born will use the VW MEB platform that underpins the ID.3 and ID.4 EVs and will be closely linked to the hardware of the ID.3, offering a more adventurous exterior and interior design. The Born looks very aggressive compared to the ID.3 while still sharing its profile, and it's this mix of design and premium interior materials that Cupra is betting on to distinguish itself from other MEB siblings.


Offering 311 miles of range in the WLTP cycle, Cupra is betting on the Born to open up new markets, which for now don't include the U.S. or Canada. The hatch will feature a 77-kWh battery, corresponding to the longest-range version of the ID.3 menu, and it will also offer fast-charging capacity, being able to get 162 miles worth of juice in 30 minutes.

Starting later this year, the Born will be produced alongside its other siblings at Volkswagen's Zwickau plant in Germany, which has been the original home of the group's MEB platform. VW has been busy adding EV-building capacity to other plants in Germany since then.



The Born will focus on design and premium interior materials as part of the Cupra brand created three years ago. One of Cupra's goals is boosting its product range in the direction of electrification, so the Born will add to a roster that already includes six plug-in hybrid variants. It will also be offered on a subscription basis in some markets as part of a pilot program that the VW Group has wanted to get into.

"The Cupra Born will be a game-changer in the electric market with its stimulating design and instantaneous performance," said Cupra President Wayne Griffiths. "This vehicle will contribute to reducing global CO2 emissions and meeting European targets. With this car we intend to contribute to the electrification of Spain and the world through its emotional sportiness, and we want the next generation of young challengers to be part of this transformation. That's why this vehicle will also be offered under subscription contracts, with a monthly fee that will include the use of the vehicle and other related services."

As tempting as it would be to frame the Born's scheduled production launch as targeting Tesla, the reality is that it's Tesla that will soon need a sub-Model 3 vehicle to battle the growing number of small and inexpensive electric hatchbacks that are filling western Europe's rapidly growing appetite for EVs, especially in the Netherlands and Norway. But Cupra is also seeking to expand its presence in Turkey, Israel, and Mexico.

"Cupra has surprised everyone in these three years and has even continued to grow during the pandemic," Griffiths added. "These great results make us optimistic to push harder in 2021. This year we're looking to double the sales volume of 2020 and reach a mix of 10% of the company’s total volume."

The long-awaited $35,000 Tesla Model 3 may have turned out to be a niche item as Elon Musk correctly predicted, especially now that it's not even offered anymore, with most buyers opting for better-equipped versions of the electric sedan. But another budget-priced EV is about to test the demand across the pond, as Volkswagen debuts the base version of the ID.3 hatch with a short-range battery.

The ID.3 itself has been in production for nearly a year now, beating the ID.4 to market, and it had a bit of a rough launch with some software issues that delayed deliveries. But now that the well-equipped debut versions of the ID.3 have been in production in Zwickau for some time, Volkswagen is rolling out a budget-priced version of its small electric hatch.
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EPA Confirms VW ID.4 Gets 260 Miles of RangeThis particular flavor of the ID.3 is optioned with a 45-kW battery pack, giving it a range of 217 miles in the slightly optimistic WLTP cycle. This makes it the lowest-ranged model out of a lineup of ID.3 versions with 45, 58 and 77-kWh usable battery capacities. The EPA range of such a model would likely land south of 190 miles, and the single-motor hatch produces 148 hp and 229 lb-ft of torque — fairly tame figures — jogging from 0 to 62 mph in a leisurely 8.9 seconds. So it's pretty clear what its priorities are.

This version of the ID.3 will start at Ł30,870 in the U.K., but will also get a fairly generous Ł2500 government discount, bringing its price down to Ł28,370, which translates to $39,100. If we were to apply the $7,500 U.S. federal discount, it's obvious where its eventual price could be whittled down to. But this doesn't mean it's a bare-bones car inside.

"The model is also fitted with all-LED headlights and tail lights," VW notes. "The ID. Light interface, meanwhile, allows the ID.3 to communicate with the driver through different light patterns corresponding with functions including navigation instructions, phone commands and battery charge status. Further enhancing the ID.3’s interior with light is 10-color ambient lighting, while natural voice control and Wireless App Connect bring additional convenience and connectivity."
The main role of the 45-kWh ID.3, of course, is to offer a lower price to those who may not need a range above the 217-mile WLTP figure, but would still like a small electric hatch. Volkswagen has made no plans to bring the ID.3 stateside, relying on the ID.4 prior to the introduction of other electric models, and with its base price of $41,190 before any federal or local discounts it's easy to see why the smaller hatch may not be a big seller here in short-range form. It's certainly lower-priced than other versions of the ID.3, but it's not giveaway-cheap like some other short-range EVs currently offered stateside.

Not only is the ID.4 already within reach, but EVs like the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Bolt and the Mini Cooper SE already appear to satisfy the demand for smaller EVs in the U.S. Add to that a wave of small electric SUVs and crossovers headed here this year, and the case for any version of the ID.3 begins to fade noticeably.



Of course, this is not to say that electric hatchbacks will remain a less popular choice than other electric alternatives. The decade of EVs is just getting started, and it's too soon to tell how consumer tastes will evolve over the next several years.

VW itself isn't planning the ID.3 to be the smallest EV in its future range, as the automaker is working on the ID.2 and the ID.1 — both expected to be smaller than the current EV hatch, and intended to play different roles. So the trend toward crossovers in various regional markets isn't acting as a overriding factor to EV planning, as Wolfsburg is mindful of consumers who may want a car smaller than the Golf-sized ID.3. We just hope that electric hatchbacks aren't abandoned by EV makers when it comes to the U.S., in a quest to squeeze out the most sales out of crossovers of all sizes.

Volkswagen is getting ready to give its successful ID.3 electric hatchback its mid-lifecycle refresh, but the facelift will bring a lot more than just a nip and tuck, according to a new report. Apparently, with next year’s refresh, VW will also introduce the much anticipated ID.3 GTX dual-motor, all-wheel drive performance version.

We don’t know exactly when, but it could be as early as next year. The ID.3 was introduced in 2019 so it would already be a four year old model at this point, making it plausible that we will see it in 2023.

AutoExpress quotes VW spokesperson Martin Hube who at the launch of the ID.5 (pictured below) in Austria was asked specifically about the ID.3 GTX. He said
Of course the project is progressing. [For the] ID.3 facelift…we will get some very interesting details and of course, we are convinced that customer’s expectations for a bit more power, for all-wheel drive is there, and [the] customer’s wish is what we have to fulfil.




Volkswagen did previously confirm it had given the ID.3 GTX the green light, but it never announced when the model would be added to the range. This still isn’t a confirmation it’s coming in 2023, but it is what older reports (both about the facelift and the GTX variant) also seem to indicate.

The ID.3 has already been updated once, in late 2021 when it was given a bigger 12-inch infotainment screen, improved fabrics, Alcantara trim in the top versions and even backlighting for the volume slider, making it easier to use at night.

We don’t know how VW will change the ID.3’s look, but it will probably concentrate mostly on the fascias, it will get new wheel designs, interior trim options. With major updates like this they also apply improvements that could have only come after years of leaving the vehicle in owners’ hands.

The facelift may also bring changes to the powertrain and battery pack options. The top ID.3 GTX version will be the first ID.3 with all-wheel drive, courtesy of a dual-motor setup from the larger ID.4 and ID.5 crossovers. The GTX variants of these have 299 horsepower and 339 pound-feet (460 Nm) of torque, sprinting to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 6.2 seconds; the lighter ID.3 GTX with the same powertrain will probably dip below the six-second mark.

Two and a half years after the launch of the Volkswagen ID.3, the automaker has unveiled the facelifted variant of the model that inaugurated its ID family of EVs.

It may not look like it on the outside and inside, but Volkswagen says the 2024 ID.3 has received a comprehensive upgrade – it goes so far as to call it a second generation – including the latest software with new convenience and assist systems.

From a styling perspective, the changes are very subtle but give the facelifted ID.3 a more striking look. On the outside, the most visible update is the more aggressive front bumper with enlarged air cooling openings.

Other tweaks include new light signatures for the LED headlights and taillight clusters – the taillight segments located in the boot lid are now also illuminated – new aero-optimized alloy wheels, a black roof with matt-silver trim on the edges, and new colors including the Dark Olivine Green iridescent metallic paint.

In addition, the compact electric hatchback's front hood now appears longer because the black strip under the windshield has been removed, with the recessed sections at the sides creating the same impression.

Moving on to the interior, it looks quite similar to the one in the current model, but Volkswagen says it implemented numerous suggestions from customers. Among other things, the haptic experience has been optimized thanks to improved material quality, including soft, foam-backed surfaces in the cockpit.



The door panels have been remodeled to include softer and larger surfaces, with more generous hand rests as well. The interior of the ID.3 is now completely animal-free, with a high proportion of recycled materials. For example, the Artvelours Eco microfiber material used on the door trims and seat covers is made of 71 percent recycled plastic waste.

As before, the 2024 VW ID.3 features two free-standing displays, a compact 5.3-inch driver display operated using touch controls on the multifunction steering wheel and a larger 12-inch touchscreen that controls the navigation system, telephone functions, media, assist systems and vehicle settings.

The infotainment system features several changes in the menu structure, such as a clearer, more informative charging menu that is now located on the top level of the main display.



In the connectivity department, the smart Electric Vehicle Route Planner has been updated and improved. For example, on longer journeys it schedules charging stops so that the destination can be reached as quickly as possible, using current traffic information and forecasts in addition to the battery charge level.

The Volkswagen ID.3's electronic architecture adopts a new concept, using two high-performance computers known as ICAS (In-Car Application Servers) as the main components. These computers solve a number of tasks that are otherwise distributed among a large number of small computers. That said, basic vehicle functions remain on their separate control units.

Updates in the area of assist systems include the use of swarm data in the Travel Assist feature, while Park Assist Plus with memory function allows automatic retrieval and use of saved parking maneuvers.

The facelifted ID.3 continues with the same rear-mounted electric drive motor rated at 150 kilowatts (201 horsepower) and 310 Newton-meters (228 pound-feet) of torque. The 58-kWh and 77-kWh battery packs remain available with the same WLTP range ratings.

The larger one enables a range of up to 546 kilometers (339 miles) in the ID.3 Pro S, while the smaller one offers 426 km (264 miles) of range in the ID.3 Pro. Volkswagen said a smaller battery is planned for the future but didn't provide any details.

At a DC fast-charging station, the 77-kWh battery of the ID.3 Pro S can charge from 5 to 80 percent within 30 minutes at a rate of up to 170 kW. The 58-kWh pack in the ID.3 Pro needs 35 minutes to complete the same charging cycle at 120 kW.

Volkswagen did not say when the facelifted ID.3 will start shipping to customers in Europe, but according to previous reports that will happen in the fourth quarter of 2023.