Volkswagen ID.3 does 531km on a single charge!

Volkswagen’s first ground-up EV development, the ID.3 has covered a distance of 531 kilometres in its first journey from Germany to Switzerland, going much further than its official claimed range of 420 kilometres. The model which made the run was the first Pro Performance variant of the ID.3.

With the industry shifting toward greener, more efficient vehicles such as EVs and plug-in hybrids, Volkswagen has launched its first long-range EV model that was developed solely to be an EV in the ID.3. The Pro Performance edition uses a 58kWh battery which delivers 201bhp to the wheels. The car is based on Volkswagen’s modular electric drive matrix (MEB) platform.

Volkswagen is also offering a bigger 77kWh battery for this car, with a claimed range of 550kms. The company has invested about €1.2 billion in the Zwickau EV factory and plans to make 300,000 ID.3’s next year.

The specific car which made the 531km cross-country trip, travelled at an average speed of 56kmph, covering the distance in approximately nine hours. Volkswagen says that the ID.3 can deliver a range of 290km in a 30-minute charge from its 100kW charger. The car is currently priced below €30,000 (that works out to Rs 26.3 lakh in Europe and doesn’t include Indian taxes and duties).

“With its high-volt battery, efficient drivetrain and fast charging capability, even long journeys are not a problem”, said Reinhard de Vries, Managing Director Technology and Logistics at Volkswagen Sachsen.

Volkswagen is some time away from bringing its MEB-underpinned cars to India, and are currently focussed on the India 2.0 project with the Taigun. The ability of the ID.3 to go well beyond its claimed range if driven properly should do well to dispel some of the range anxiety and apprehensions people have towards EVs at the moment.