You might've noticed more and more electric cars are being released. Every big manufacturer has one nowadays.
But the electric car-market could've been so much bigger. If only there weren't these big obstacles. I'm talking about availability,
choice, but mostly the price of an electric car. If you get one as business car, there are all kinds of advantages for your company.
But if you're a private buyer, it's incredibly expensive. Sure, the maintenance is cheaper, or lower energy costs or even less depreciation.
But the thing that counts at the end of the day is the price tag, and that makes a lot of people walk away.
So that's the chance for Volkswagen to live up to their name. At the end of the 1940's, they introduced the people's car.
The Beetle. Now it's time for the electric people's car.
This car will reach markets only next year, but Volkswagen has presented some core numbers. And that's the essence of the car.
The biggest issue in an electric car is range. The smallest battery pack in this will be able to get you 330 km far.
You're able to choose from three battery packs. But the 330 kilometre-version will be below €30.000. That could be €25.000, or €29.999.
But still. For €30.000 you can get 330 km far. If you look at competitors like the Corsa-e and 208-e, they get just as far.
However, those cars cost €35.000. That's thousands of euro's more. Also, those are B-segment cars, whilst this is a C-segment car.
And now it becomes interesting, wouldn't you say?
Then, the question. Or rather two questions. What does it look like? Well, like this.
It will stay this way until it's officially unveiled in Frankfurt in September. But the second question, how does it drive?
I'm able to answer that, because I'm allowed to drive it today. Even though it's being released next year.
We all drive electrically to reduce emissions and for durability, and that has some nice side-effects.
For example, it's very quiet. Electric cars have a lot of torque, and so on and so on. However, because the drivetrain takes up much less space,
you're able to use the inside space much more creatively. That means the interior has the same length as in a Passat. In a C-segment car.
The headroom is different though. Because the battery pack is underneath the floor, you're a little high up. The ceiling has remained low, otherwise...
it would become some kind of MPV. And people don't want those anymore. So when it comes to headroom, you should think about Golf-sizes.
Legroom- and lengthwise, it's almost like a Passat.
Then, the boot. Almost as much luggage space as a Golf, almost 380 litres. It has quite a high floor, but that's because the engine is in the rear.
That's because of the weight distribution. There's some space for the cables over here...
It's still a prototype, so forgive its sharp edges. Anyway, it's a decent boot.
Then, the interior. It's still very mysterious. There's a cloth over the dashboard, and I was allowed to peek. Without camera that is, so I can't show you.
I am allowed to describe it however. So over here, we've got a trapezium-like display. It's on the steering column, almost like a satellite.
Next to it, you've got some turning knobs. Like in a BMW i3. There's a big display over here for infotainment, aimed at the driver.
The steering wheel is allowed to be seen, but not close up. Other than that, you've got a big strip here which lights up...
and gives you information about your batteries. Don't mind the plastics by the way, because that's only in this prototype. The production...
version will have better materials. Right. Let's take a drive.
It's fun and all, that price-range-thing, but my first question was how did they do that? Because PSA and Nissan-Renault aren't stupid right?
I asked that question to someone who's developed this car. He said that this car is on the new MEB-platform, which will be used...
by lots of cars in the Volkswagen Group. That's why the development costs have been spread over lots of cars and why it's this 'cheap'.
It also means that this car is built modularly and thus is flexible. That's why the axles are this far apart,
that's why it has lots of interior space and that's why you're able to fit different sized battery packs.
Again, it starts at 330 km according to WLTP. If you want more than that, you can get the middle version. That does 420 km according to WLTP.
That's just below €40.000. So it's probably going to be €39.999,99. If you don't care about price and you just want range,
you can get the biggest battery pack. That'll do 550 km according to WLTP and it's just below €50.000.
You could say that's a lot of money for an electric car and you'd be right, but let me remind you of Dutch sales numbers for last six months.
The Tesla Model 3 came third in the Netherlands. The Tesla Model 3 is the third-best selling car in the Netherlands.
That's not cheap either.
I already mentioned it, we're not allowed to show the dashboard. Only describe it. And I've done that, but when the camera's were installed,
people of Volkswagen tipped me. They asked me if I was in the Geneva, which I was. They asked me if I saw Seat's El Born Concept, which I saw.
According to the people of Volkswagen, the dashboard in that Seat looks exactly like the dashboard in this car. I checked, and they were right.
You didn't hear it from me, but you heard it.
The modular platform is going to be used by the whole ID-range from Volkswagen. There will be ID's above the 3, below the 3...
We've even seen the ID.Cross concept car, of which Volkswagen expects a lot. Because it's a crossover, which is very popular.
They're going to smear the whole ID-range across this platform, which creates a whole new future family for Volkswagen.
Then, the drive. The 330 km-version will have an electric motor of 100 kW, whilst this has a 150 kW-motor.
That's roughly around 204 horsepower. It produces 310 Nm of torque and it's very pleasant to drive.
The throttle response is very good, even in lower revs. It's takes off very smoothly and the drive is just good.
It's incredibly quiet aboard. There's a mandatory sound which lets pedestrians know you're coming, but that's switched off above 30 km/h.
After that, it's all nice and quiet. There are still some wind noises, but they're being solved. It's a prototype after all.
Everything put together, it's a very pleasant electric car. Very spacious, very grown-up, and if the price remains as they say...
I mean, a promise is a promise, but I can only ask myself. Is this going to be the EV-Beetle?
That might be a bit much, but this ID.3 just might be the kickstart for truly affordable electric cars for the people.