Volkswagen ID.3 convertible being considered for production

Volkswagen is considering producing a convertible version of its ID.3 electric car. CEO Ralf Brandstätter released some official render images on social media, but no confirmation of production has been given, nor a potential arrival date.

Brandstätter has simply referred to the car as "a very tempting idea"; reports in German media reckon that development is almost complete and that the car is set for an early 2022 arrival.

The new images show that the ID.3 is likely to lose a set of doors during the conversion, with the tailgate swapped out for a smaller item to make room for a large fabric roof. It's likely that any convertible ID.3 would get a similar line-up of electric motors and batteries to the standard hatchback, starting with a 58kWh battery and 143bhp motor.

Unlike conventionally powered convertibles, the ID.3 would likely not be unduly heavier than the hatchback; its batteries and MEB platform would do a good job of retaining rigidity that tends to be lost when chopping the roof off a normal car, so there'd be less need for extra structural reinforcement.

The ID.3 convertible follows the ID. Buggy concept in the line of topless electric Volkswagens; the latter was originally slated to arrive in 2022 but has since been put on hold. It's therefore likely that the ID.3 will be the first convertible electric car from the brand – not to mention the first four-seater electric convertible to go on sale. According to reports, existing folding-roof technology from within Volkswagen would be implemented to keep development costs down.

It's not yet clear if other manufacturers will try to take on the ID.3 convertible if it arrives; MINI has already written off the idea of a convertible MINI Electric due to poor sales of the petrol version, while the wider Stellantis Group line-up has shown no signs of adding a drop-top zero-emissions model any time soon.

Similarly, Kia and Hyundai's electric offerings aren't ideally suited for such a conversion, although there may be room in the all-new Ioniq range of electric cars from the latter South Korean manufacturer.