VW ID.3 Prototype Driven: Are You Sure You Still Want That Golf?

[cawimmer430]

VW ID.3 Prototype Driven: Are You Sure You Still Want That Golf?

Volkswagen's electric revolution is coming our way fast – and the ID.3 compact EV is the first of a big family of battery-powered vehicles promised by Wolfsburg.

Of course, the German carmaker already sells electric vehicles such as the e-Golf and e-Up, but those are compromises that haven't been developed from the ground up as EVs. The ID.3, on the other hand, is a different story.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8cHHNPRg-c

Autocar had a quick go in a late development prototype and shared with us some interesting things about the compact EV, such as the fact that it feels roomier than a VW Golf Mk7 inside, despite the fact that the ID.3 is actually shorter.

That's obviously due to the packaging enabled by the electric powertrain, although placing the batteries in the vehicle floor means that headroom is just about the same as in the Golf even though the ID.3 is taller. The location of the battery pack also has an impact on the driving position, which is a bit high although still perfectly comfortable.

So what is it like to drive? Bearing in mind that this was not a final production vehicle, the ID.3 feels like a bigger car and that's due to the fact that it's heavier than the average ICE-powered compact hatch. Depending on the battery size, it weighs between between 1,600 kg and 1,700 kg (3,527-3,748 lbs).

The fact that it'srear-wheel-drive is not that obvious from behind the wheel, as the ID.3 is definitely no sports car. In terms of performance, the top-spec 201 hp (204 PS) model feels quick but the reviewer did not seem blown away by it, probably because the weight dulls things a bit. It's probably too early to say whether or not the ID.3 will become as significant as the Beetle or the Golf for Volkswagen but the first signs are promising.



Link: https://www.carscoops.com/2019/07/vw-id-3-prototype-driven-are-you-sure-you-still-want-that-golf/

[12,000 RPM]

Not liking how flat batteries are driving design. Hopefully more stylish entries will ditch the 5th seat to put some batteries in the "driveshaft" space.

[cawimmer430]

Not liking how flat batteries are driving design. Hopefully more stylish entries will ditch the 5th seat to put some batteries in the "driveshaft" space.

One of my main issues with these EV designs is... WHY DO THEY HAVE TO BE SO UGLY!?

The only nice EV designs/concepts IMO are...

[cawimmer430]

The Interior Of The Upcoming VW ID.3 Looks Very Interesting

A handful of images showing the interior of the upcoming VW ID.3 have surfaced online.

These images were taken from a YouTube recently shared online by the German car manufacturer. While the video was swiftly taken down, various media outlets were able to screenshot the key details revealed during the short video.

Starting with the dashboard of the ID.3, we can see that it includes a large touchscreen infotainment system. It looks all rather normal until you glance over to the steering wheel where Volkswagen has developed a small digital gauge cluster directly behind the wheel, or potentially even attached to the steering column.



We can see a small screen which displays things including speed, range, navigation, and a radar cruise control system. To the side of this central display is a unique gear selector which allows drivers to cycle through Park, Neutral, Reverse, Drive, and what appears to be a brake regeneration mode. It is somewhat similar in design to the steering-column-mounted gear selector of the BMW i3.

This is the second time a video previewing the ID.3 has seemingly been published prematurely and swiftly deleted in recent months. The world had its first glimpse of the vehicle's exterior design bathed in pink and purple camouflage when a revealing video found its way online back in May.

Volkswagen will unveil the ID.3 in production guise at September's Frankfurt Auto Show, free of any exterior or interior camouflage. The electric hatchback will be sold in a number of different guises, including a range-topping model with a 77 kWh battery pack and a range of 342 miles (550 km).


Link: https://www.carscoops.com/2019/07/the-interior-of-the-upcoming-vw-id-3-looks-very-interesting/