The top premieres of the year 2019: ID.3 and new Golf
The ID.3 and the new Golf celebrated their premieres in the autumn of 2019, completely without camouflage. The ID.3 is the first all-electric car from the Volkswagen Group – clean, fascinating and finally affordable for less than 30,000 euros. Volkswagen is thus driving technological change forward more consistently and with greater commitment than almost any other automobile manufacturer. The aim is to take e-mobility from the niche to the middle of society.
ID.3, the first model of the new generation of electric cars, goes into series production in 2019. The ID.3 is specially designed for electric mobility and optimally exploits the possibilities of this technology. It offers long ranges, plenty of space, dynamic driving characteristics and a whole new level of digital connectivity. The ID.3 also sets new standards in terms of sustainability. All this makes it a pioneer and forerunner for system change.
The ID.3 is an all-rounder suitable for everyday use. It is compact, maneuverable and offers a particularly large interior, comparable to a mid-range car. The ID.3 thus sets new standards in the compact class. Innovative technologies and long ranges are also included. Customers can choose between three battery sizes: The basic version with 45 kWh enables ranges of up to 330 kilometers. The medium battery with 58 kWh can achieve up to 420 kilometers of range and with the largest 77 kWh battery, even up to 550 kilometers are possible (WLTP). Thanks to its rapid charging capability, even the basic version with 100 kW charging power can recharge around 290 kilometers of range within 30 minutes. The entry-level price is less than 30,000 euros – before the deduction of state subsidies!
The ID.3 is the first model based on Volkswagen’s new Modular E-Drive (MEB) matrix. The heart of the MEB is the flat and scalable high-voltage battery, which is firmly integrated into the structure of the underbody. This offers numerous advantages – from the greater range to the increased interior space and driving dynamics.
At the same time, the MEB enables enormous economies of scale and thus creates the basis for making the electric car accessible to as many people as possible. Up to 22 million electric cars are to be built and sold worldwide by 2028, the majority of which will be MEB-based. Over the next few years, the Volkswagen brand will put a complete ID. family on the road. The spectrum ranges from compact cars to SUVs and large sedans. The MEB will also be used by Audi, ŠKODA, SEAT and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in the future. Volkswagen is thus transferring its successful platform strategy into the electric age.
The Zwickau plant is a key component of Volkswagen’s most comprehensive electric offensive. Volkswagen is the first volume manufacturer to completely convert a large automobile plant – from 100 percent combustion engine to 100 percent electric. Volkswagen is investing a total of around 1.2 billion euros in the conversion of the plant. In the final expansion stage from 2021 onwards, up to 330,000 electric cars will be produced there every year – around 30,000 more than before. Zwickau will thus become the largest and most efficient electric car plant in Europe.
The ID.3 “made in Zwickau” also makes an important contribution to climate protection. It is not only emission-free locally, it is also manufactured in a CO2-neutral way. This makes it a pioneer on the road to clean, sustainable mobility.