VOLKSWAGEN ID.3: NO REVOLUTION
Mileage is good for an electric car, but not enough
The car you see in the photos (in the background is the Bobov Dol thermal power plant that generates electricity) was overloaded like an illegal logging truck before it even saw the light of day. Volkswagen is trying to convince us that he was born for great things. Even the name ID.3 symbolizes that this is the third most important model in the history of the brand after the legendary Beetle and Golf. They say that with its appearance a new era begins for both the brand and the automotive industry as a whole. Modest!
But are the big words true? To answer, I'll start with the conclusion - this is probably the best electric car I've ever driven in its segment.
However, it is not particularly superior to all others with which I can compare it. I even wondered if I should put it above the Nissan LEAF in my personal ranking, but its slightly better mileage prevailed. I note right away that I did not have the opportunity to test Tesla electric vehicles, in which everyone is equal. Purely “on paper”, I don't see what chances ID.3 has in the fight against the Americans, despite the immodest statements that he will become the next Tesla killer in Europe (of course, prices also differ, although not much for Model 3 ).
DNA
The ID.3 isn't VW's first pure EV - it's outpaced by the e-Up! and electronic golf. However, this is the first vehicle built as an electric vehicle and no other model has been adapted. With its help, the concern is starting to operate a completely new modular platform created for MEB (Modulare E-Antriebs-Baukasten) electric vehicles. The biggest advantage of this is that the car is small on the outside and spacious on the inside. At 4261 mm long, the ID.3 is 2 cm shorter than the Golf. However, its wheelbase is a whopping 13cm longer (2765mm), making rear passenger legroom comparable to the Passat.
Above their heads there is also enough space thanks to the height of 1552 mm. Only the width of 1809 mm reminds you that you are sitting in a compact car and not in a limousine. The trunk is one idea more than the Golf - 385 liters (against 380 liters).
The design is smiling and cute on the front. A car with a face just like the Beetle and the legendary Hippie Bulli bulldozers that made Volkswagen a worldwide hit. Even matrix LED headlights with
When turned on, they draw circles in different directions, as if the eyes are looking around. The grille is only small at the bottom because the engine does not need cooling. It serves to ventilate the brakes and the battery and has a slightly "smiling" layout. Fun details to the side and rear give way to the sharp geometric shapes that have characterized VW design over the past decade.
It's difficult
Inside, in addition to the aforementioned space, you are greeted by a fully digitized touchscreen cockpit. There are no physical buttons at all, and what is not controlled by touch screens is also controlled by touch buttons.
The remaining options are with gestures or with the help of a voice assistant. All this looks modern, but not at all convenient to use. Maybe I will like the generation that grew up on smartphones and will still drive, but for me, all this is confusing and unnecessarily complicated. I don't like the idea of going through multiple menus to find the function I need, especially while driving. Even the headlights are controlled by touch, as is the opening of the rear windows. In fact, you only have the familiar mechanical window buttons, but there are only two of them. To open the back, you need to touch the REAR sensor and then with the same buttons. Why does it have to be as easy as it can be.
Back
The ID.3 is powered by a 204 hp electric motor. and 310 Nm of torque. It is so compact that it fits in a sports bag. However, it is capable of accelerating the hatchback to 100 km/h in 7,3 seconds. Even more enthusiastic at low city speeds due to the characteristic of all electric vehicles that the maximum torque is available to you instantly - from 0 rpm. Thus, each touch on the accelerator pedal (in this case, fun, marked with a triangular sign for Play and a brake with two dashes for "Pause") is accompanied by a handicap.
The top speed is limited to 160 km / h for efficiency reasons. Engine power is transmitted from an automatic transmission to the rear wheels, just like the legendary Beetle. But do not rush to smile while imagining drifts. The electronics that do not switch off instantly tame everything with such perfection that at first it is very difficult to determine what kind of transmission the car has.
The most important thing in the end is mileage. ID.3 is available with three batteries - 45, 58 and 77 kWh. According to the catalog, the Germans say that on a single charge it can travel 330, 426 and 549 km, respectively. The test car was an average version with a 58 kWh battery, but since the test was carried out in winter conditions (temperatures of about 5-6 degrees), with a fully charged battery, the on-board computer showed a range of 315 km.
In addition to climate, mileage is influenced by your driving temperament, terrain (more climbs or more descents), how often you use transmission mode B, which improves energy recovery when coasting, and more. In other words, the car is good for an electric car, but it will still be difficult for it to take the place of the only vehicle in the family. And in winter, don't risk planning trips over 250 km without stopping recharging.
Under the hood
| Engine | Электрический |
| drive unit | Rear wheels |
| Power in hp | 204 hp |
| Torque | 310 Nm |
| Acceleration time | (0 – 100 km / h) 7.3 sec. |
| full speed | 160 km / h |
| Mileage | 426 km (WLTP) |
| Electricity consumption | 15,4 kWh / 100 km |
| Battery capacity | 58 kWh |
| CO2 emissions | 0 g / km |
| The weight | 1794 kg |
| Price (58 kWh battery) | from BGN 70,885 with VAT. |
