Volkswagen has confirmed that its ID.3 electric hatch, the car that could be more important than the original Beetle, will have a starting price of €33,625 when it arrives in Ireland in late summer.
1st, 1st Plus, and 1st Max models available
Now, that requires a bit of unpicking. That price tag includes the €10,000 VRT rebate and SEAI grant, and it's for an ID.3 1st model, fitted with the 58kWh battery. That should give a one-charge range of around 420km, but VW is waiting on full WLTP certification before confirming that.
The 1st model will come with 18-inch alloys, digital DAB radio and infotainment touchscreen, leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel, heated front seats, adaptive cruise control, oncoming collision braking and assisted steering, two-zone climate control, and a light-assist headlight system
There will also be a 1st Plus model, priced from €40,595 which will come with 19-inch alloys, keyless entry and ignition. Matrix LED lights, heated mirrors, 30-colour ambient lighting, and a rear-view camera.
The top-spec 1st Max, priced from €47,545, will include 20-inch alloys, 'Travel Assist' electronic driver aids including a Tesla-style lane-changing assistant, upgraded seat fabric, massaging seats, a panoramic roof, and wireless phone charging.
77kWh battery for long ranges
Now, there will eventually also be a cheaper ID.3, a basic model with a smaller battery. Customers who need long-range driving can eventually also spec a 77kWh battery, but that comes with a weight penalty, so VW will only offer that one in a four-seat configuration.
All models use the same rear-mounted 204hp electric motor, so yes - this is the first mainstream VW since the Beetle to have its engine in the back.
There is a glitch, though. VW's software development for the car has hit a few roadblocks, and so these initial 1st models will ship with incomplete software. That means that some functions of the App-Connect infotainment will not work, and 1st Max models will not have the full augmented-reality head-up display system. VW is planning to release a software update early next year that will complete the car's functionality.
Home wall chargers from VW's own power company
There will be a huge number of options for the car - everything from vegan leather to a high-performance option that can cut 2.0 seconds from the 0-100km/h time, and trick functions such as LED lights that 'look' at you as you walk up to the car - and Volkswagen will also offer charging options too. Those include 2,000kWh of free public charging in the first year (at participating charging outlets) and a special price on a home-charger wallbox, installed and supplied with energy from Volkswagen's own in-house power company, Elli. The ID.3 will be able to charge at speeds of up to 100kW from public chargers at first, and 11kW from a home charger. Volkswagen says that charging speeds can be improved, possibly to as much as 350kW, through software updates in the future.
Oh, and if you're hoping to get hold of an ID.3 this year, you're probably out of luck. Although Volkswagen has plans to build 330,000 a year, right now the factory is not at full capacity, and the 1st models coming to Ireland this year are pretty well all spoken for already.