Volkswagen ID.3 limited edition comes to UK

Four years after the I.D. concept was first announced, a limited edition of the Volkswagen ID.3 is now available in the UK.

The manufacturer’s third electric vehicle after the Beetle and the Golf, The ID.3 is produced in Volkswagen’s Zwickau plant in the east of Germany. The Zwickau factory is entirely powered by renewable energy, with many third-parties in the supply chain also using green energy.

Where carbon emissions are unavoidable, for example during shipping, CO₂ emissions are compensated by supporting internationally recognised climate protection projects. As a result, the ID.3 is delivered as a carbon neutral product according to the TÜV Nord Standard TN-CC 020. The ID.3’s low environmental impact can be continued into the car’s working life, should owners choose to charge it using renewable energy, claims VW.

First previewed in 2016 as a visionary electric concept, VW says the production car stays true to the roots of the concept, delivering the promises of long ranges, technological innovations, intelligent connectivity and an engaging drive.

Features include heated front seats, Natural Voice Control with ID, Adaptive Cruise Control and keyless entry and start. The model also brings with it new safety features including the brand’s first central airbag, which prevents occupants colliding with one another in the event of a side-impact, as well as the acclaimed Car2X system, with which the ID.3 can communicate information, including advance warning of hazards, to other Car2X-equipped vehicles in the vicinity.

Thanks to the packaging benefits of the MEB (modular electric drive matrix) platform, the ID.3 boasts a wide range of talents, including the turning circle and agility of the up! city car, the compact footprint of a Golf, with similar interior space to the Passat and off-the-line acceleration comparable to a Golf GTI.

With a modular battery pack design, the ID.3 series model will be available in the near future with multiple battery capacities, to suit a variety of range requirements. The 58 kWh, 204 PS ID.3 1 boasts a 260-mile range, with rapid charging capability of up to 100 kW. This means that 180 miles of range can be added in as little as half an hour. 

Says Andrew Savvas, Volkswagen UK Managing Director:

“I am incredibly proud to witness this moment. Volkswagen has made a commitment to our future, and our children’s future. In 2018 we were the first car maker to sign up to the Paris Agreement on CO₂, while last year we announced our new environmental mission statement ‘goTozero’ the aim of which is to achieve a neutral CO₂ balance by 2050.

“We intend to be the world market leader in e-mobility, and to achieve this we are investing €33 billion by 2024, including €11 billion for the Volkswagen brand alone.”