Volkswagen is planning to release the ID.3, its first new electric car based on its MEB platform, and it states it prepares to deliver 30,000 ID.3 cars “almost at once” and it states that it will be cheaper than a gasoline car.
In November 2019, the automaker started production of their ID.3 electric car at its Zwickau factory, which they are fully converting from gasoline-powered car production to electric vehicle production.
However, the automaker stated that ID.3 deliveries won’t start until summer this year as they accumulate vehicles until then.
At the time, it appeared like an unconventional way to release a new vehicle, but it has been noted that ID.3’s production was affected with some software issues.
Now the automaker says that once it starts deliveries of ID.3, it will deliver 30,000 vehicles almost at once. They say that their objective is to deliver the 30,000 pre-booked ID.3 vehicles in the 1st Edition to consumers across Europe at almost the same time.
The automaker also made a mention of the vehicle’s software, which is going to be the first updateable Volkswagen, without finding any issue. Over subsequent months, the digital functions will be updated in regular.
Other than that, the automaker also talked about the cost of ownership of the ID.3 and how it compares to other gasoline cars. An ID.3 is less costly, depending on the model variant, compared to a comparable internal combustion engine model. The standard version having a range of 330 kilometers costs below €23,430 ($26,144) in Germany, after deduction of the environmental bonus. It is therefore at least as cheaper as comparable models like the Golf Life. Furthermore, ID.3 drivers in Germany save about €840 ($938) annually on operating expenses. Among other items, there is no road vehicle tax, no oil changes would be needed and the ID.3 is assigned to a less expensive insurance class (class 17). Energy costs are lower as well.
Silke Bagschick, Head of Sales and Marketing, e-mobility Product Line, said that the cost is no longer an argument against but rather an argument for the EV. Leasing offers make the changeover easy and decrease uncertainty. In future, the EV will be attractively priced as well even without subsidies.
Volkswagen prepares to start deliveries of the ID.3 this summer in the continent.
