In a livestream event in Berlin, VW announced that it has started accepting orders for their all-electric hatchback ID.3. It is the first of the new family of all-elect6rci vehicles built on the company’s new MEB platform. First to get off the production line will be limited run Special Edition ID.3 1s. It will offer 550 km of range and will cost less than €40,000. The preorder will require a €750 deposit.
“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 Jürgen Stackmann, Volkswagen brand’s chief of sales and marketing.
“With the ID.3, we will be ushering in the third major chapter of strategic importance in the history of our brand, following the Beetle and the Golf. With the ID.3, we are making the electric car fit for mass mobility. Initially, we will electrify Europe with the ID.3 and then other regions with further electric models in the ID. family which are to follow in the near future,” he added.
VW said that only 30,000 units of ID.3 1st will be made, since it is a limited addition. It will come with a 58kWh battery pack. Later models will have more battery options, including 45kWh for 330km range to 77kWh for 550km range.
VW has been biding its time recovering from Dieselgate and constructing their EV for the last four years. However, pricing isn’t what we have been expecting.
Only last year, VW chief Herbert Diess promised that new VW EV will be 50% cheaper than a Tesla, so many people were expecting a car with a price tag in range of €20,000 to €25,000. It remains to be seen whether the price will go down and can VW really make “electric for everyone” as they promised.
Nina Smith 
Kim Marks