Volkswagen ID.3 range, battery & charging
The Volkswagen ID.3 offers a choice of three battery sizes and all promise enough range and charging capability to keep most buyers out of trouble
| Drivetrain | Battery size | Official range | Wallbox charge time | Rapid charge time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pure / Pure Performance | 45kWh | 215-217 miles | 7hrs 30mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 44mins (10-80%, 50kW) |
| Pro / Pro Performance | 58kWh | 258-263 miles | 9hrs 15mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 33mins (10-80%, 100kW) |
| Pro S | 77kWh | 336 miles | 12hrs 15mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 36mins (10-80%, 125kW) |
At the moment, the Volkswagen ID.3 is available with either a 45 (Pure and Pure Performance), 58 (Pro and Pro Performance) or 77kWh (Pro S) battery. From launch, the ID.3 comes with up to 2,000kWh of free charging from WeCharge-connected chargers. IONITY, the ultra-fast charging network partly owned by Volkswagen, is included as well. You get up to £500 worth of charging for your first year of ownership.
There’s a smartphone app that you can use to control the car’s charging as well as the climate control, which allows for pre-heating on cold mornings or pre-cooling on hot ones. You can also check the level of the battery and how much range is left.
The ID.3 is able to charge from a home wallbox, of course, and this is the most cost-effective way of keeping it topped up. There’s an 11kW on-board charger, so if your wallbox at home supports that rate of charging, it can be topped up quicker than the standard 7.4kW rate – although you need three-phase electricity in your home for this; most UK homes don't have it.
Volkswagen ID.3 range
The entry-level ID.3 has a driving range of around 215 miles. That rises to 258-263 miles for the 58kWh battery versions, which beats the Nissan Leaf e+’s 239 miles but falls behind the Kia e-Niro 64kWh’s figure of 282 miles on a single charge. To get more, you need to go for the rather expensive Pro S, which boosts range to 336 miles with its larger 77kWh battery. There’s an Eco Assistance driving mode that can use sat-nav data to help you maximise range – for example, by telling you to lift off when a lower speed limit is approaching, saving a small amount of energy each time.
Charge time
The ID.3 is capable of 7.4kW charging from home wallboxes and 50, 100 or 125kW charging from public rapid chargers depending on the battery size you choose. You get a Type 2 charging cable as standard, and a wallbox from Volkswagen is available as well, supporting up to 11kW three-phase charging and coming with a 4.5-metre cable.
If you’re using a normal 7.4kW wallbox, the 58kWh ID.3 will take just over nine hours to charge from empty to full, while at 11kW that drops to just over six hours. Either should be fine for an overnight top-up. Head out to a public charger and the 58kWh ID.3 takes about an hour to go from 10 to 80% charge at a 50kW point, dropping to around 30 minutes if you can find a 100kW unit.
