The first shipment of the new Volkswagen ID.3 EV has reached the UK ahead of first customer deliveries later this month.
One of Volkswagen's most eagerly-anticipated cars in years, the new ID.3 is currently just available in a ‘1st Edition’ guise, and uses a 58kWh battery mated to a 201bhp electric motor – allowing for 261 miles of range. It’s also able to charge at a rate of 100kW – meaning 180 miles of charge can be added in 30 minutes.
Following its unveiling at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, and with pre-orders opening, the firm saw a huge flurry of demand. UK customers were finally able to order their cars in July.
And now the first shipment of UK models has reached Britain, arriving at the port in Grimsby from the Zwickau plant in Germany, which is where various Volkswagen Group EVs, based on the MEB electric platform, will be built – including the new Skoda Enyaq. These models will now be transported to retailers across the country, with handovers set to begin before the end of the month.
Volkswagen claims all ID.3s are delivered to customers carbon-neutral, while 1st Edition models come with a We Charge card, which gives free access to public chargers across Europe and the equivalent of £500 of free electricity.
Andrew Savvas, managing director at Volkswagen UK, said: “The moment we’ve been waiting for is here – the ID.3 has officially arrived in the UK. This milestone represents the dawn of a new mobility era for Volkswagen after the success of the Beetle – and ongoing success of the Golf – with the aim of providing accessible electric mobility for millions, not just millionaires.
“I can’t wait to see these first ID.3 cars out on the road, after customers collect them from retailers later this month. This is only the beginning, however, with the series versions of the ID.3 incoming, and the ID.4 on its way. The future is now.”
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