Europe's Tesla Killer Could be the VW ID.3
Could this be the EV model that outsells Tesla in Europe for the next five years? Plus, Plugged In shares a DC fast charging test of the 2020 Hyundai Kona Electric.
Image Caption | VW delivers the First edition ID.3 in September 2020 with generous incentives. Will this be the car to knock Tesla off the EV throne?
Americans love big vehicles and spaces, and SUVs are king in the U.S. but Europe is a different story. Fuel-efficient, compact cars have a large market share in Europe and VW is now trying to capture the low-cost EV, compact segment too.
The carmaker is targeting this segment with the all-electric, compact ID.3 and hopes this car will compete in Europe with Tesla’s overall footprint.
So how is VW going to do this? Some analysts say EV technology might be the draw for a younger crowd. According to the automaker in a recent Financial Times article, ID.3 reservation holders are approximately ten years younger than the average VW customer, which is 58.
The article also revealed that “about 85% of the 37,000 people who paid to reserve a VW ID.3 had not bought a VW before.” Also according to the automaker, “in contrast, 85% of sales of the German carmaker’s popular Golf hatchback are repeat customers.”
This is good news for VW, as the company tries to expand its customer base after the messy emissions scandal.
The ID.3’s 1st edition price is on the steep side, at 40,000 Euros. But there are three options for the VW ID.3 going forward — Standard, Plus, & Max. According to news reports, the lowest trim level, the standard, will be under 30,000 euros and have a range of 330 km.
Pricing may change, but also helping are European EV incentives from governments looking to blunt COVID-19 economic issues. In France, even the high-end ID.3 qualifies for the government-backed scrapping program for older cars.
ID 3 Features below and video from Bjørn Nyland, an electric car driver for some 7+ years:
Battery options: 45 kWH ~ 330 km (205 mi), 58 kWh ~ 420 km (260 mi) and 77 kWh ~ 550 km (340 mi)
electric adjustable seats/massage (driver and passenger)
5-door hatchback
Alcantara micro fiber seats
Charging: DC 125 kW via CCS Combo 2
Rear-wheel drive/motor
Brake Regeneration
Beats Sound System
DC Fast Charging - 0 to 80% charge
Recently, we’ve been writing a lot about DC Fast Charging and for non-Tesla owners. So, here you go, the Kona Electric DC Fast Charge Test.
Is 75KW power sufficient for EV drivers in 2020? Leave a comment below!