Volkswagen’s future is electric, and electrifying. Never in history has a car company performed such an important about-face in so little time. With the mounting environmental concerns, we at VW have made the bold decision to move towards a 100% electric future and it begins with the Volkswagen ID.3, a car that consumers can afford.

The new Volkswagen ID.3 will be our first mass-produced electric car but there will be a number of differences that will enable the ID.3 to stand out.

We know that not all consumers have the same needs as far as range, power and where other features are concerned. Our new MEB electric vehicle platform is extremely flexible and modular which enables us to offer a myriad of versions for all needs.

The ID.3 will be made available with one of three battery sizes to meet these needs. The entry-level ID.3 will feature a 45 kWh battery and provide up to 330 km of range according to the WLTP or roughly 295 km by EPA standards.

There will be two larger battery alternatives. The first delivers a 58 kWh capacity for a range of 420 km WLTP or EPA 375 km. The largest unit will be a 77 kWh battery pack that will provide petrol-matching and beating 550 km of range by  WLTP standards, or 491 km in EPA-speak.

This strategy will allow us to make the ID.3 extremely affordable. As all of these cars will share an identical platform, many basic features and a powertrain, the ID.3 will be the first electric built for everyone.

Once more, unlike the competition, all iterations of the ID.3 will be endowed with a powerful 150 kW (200-horsepower) and 310 Nm (230 lb.-ft.) of torque electric motor, so performance will be identical across the line. It will be positioned on the rear axle for a dynamic driving experience.

From a styling standpoint, the new ID.3 is instantly recognizable as a Volkswagen because of its defined profile and familiar face. The cabin too shares a philosophy with our current line of product however the emphasis is placed on the pair of displays that replaces nearly all of the typical switchgear.

The new Volkswagen ID.3 is the first step in Volkswagen’s next chapter. We are admittedly proud of this car and we think buyers and drivers will appreciate our new direction.

So far, the availability of the Volkswagen ID.3 in Canada has not been confirmed. However, the coming of the production version of the ID. Crozz, or ID.4 is official.

Note: At the time of writing, the official EPA ratings for range were calculated and not official.