VW Will Offer Eight-Year Battery Warranty on ID Electric Hatchbacks, Promise 70 Percent Capacity
VW’s upcoming electric cars will also apparently boast up to 340 miles of range.
Ahead of the Volkswagen ID.3's imminent September reveal, the automaker has revealed that its electric hatchback—along with any and all future ID electric models—would be available with an industry-leading 125-kilowatt battery good for 340 miles of range. To put that into perspective, the top-of-the-line Tesla Model 3 is only advertised to go 310 miles without needing to recharge.
What's more, VW ID owners shouldn't have to worry too much about batteries wearing out and losing capacity over time since the company is backing them (in Europe, at least) with an eight-year/99,400-mile (160,000 km) warranty. Specifically, the automaker is guaranteeing that its batteries will retain at least 70 percent of their when-new capacity within the warranty period.
"Our goal is to make sure the ID batteries last as long as the cars," said VW Centre of Excellence head Frank Blome.
Volkswagen has also confirmed that, like other electric cars on the market, its ID products will be available in a range of battery sizes. Drivers with less demanding driving habits can save some cash by opting for a cheaper model with a smaller capacity battery and less range. While range-topping models (no pun intended) will apparently get up to the aforementioned 340 miles on a charge, entry-level cars will be good for around 205 miles.
The German automaker also has plans to introduce its own wall-box style charging stations that can be installed at a home or place-of-business. With capacities of up to 11 kW, the wall boxes can apparently get your electric VW to 100 percent charge overnight or "in the course of a working day." Plugged into a fast charging station, however, 160 miles of range can apparently be replenished in 30 minutes. A Tesla Model 3 plugged into a Supercharger, meanwhile, can pick up 180 miles of juice in just 15 minutes.
The Volkswagen ID.3 compact will enter production by the end of the year.