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Volkswagen unveils the ID.3, its first affordable long-range electric car

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Re: Volkswagen unveils the ID.3, its first affordable long-range electric car

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European here, trying to actually buy the thing. You can't. The first reservations will be fulfilled in the middle of 2020, but those will only be the mid-sized battery versions. If you want the version with a larger battery, there is no firm ship date, but it is expected in 2021. What I find somewhat amusing is that for the past months we've been bombarded by a huge marketing campaign advertising a car that doesn't…

If you want an EV now, buy a Tesla/Leaf/Zoe. That's all I'm hearing from VW. I'm thrilled with my Focus EV (cause Model3 wasn't available when I bought it). I have a basket of features I'd like on my next EV that I don't have now, but it's way better than waiting for the "best" to show up.

Maybe someone wants to buy an EV now but they have no problem waiting for a year.

Re: Volkswagen unveils the ID.3, its first affordable long-range electric car

#162
post #103
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All looks good, but the charging rate seems really slow.

Is there any technical reason for limiting the charge rate unless you pay more? I see this is becoming common now. Even Tesla does it. I'd be willing to settle for the smaller battery as long as charging it was at the same higher rate. Sure, charging sessions are more frequent during long trips, but if you're charging a smaller battery at the same rate then the charging sessions are shorter. So it seems like they're…

Even Tesla does it.

This was last true in 2016, when you could add a dual-charger option to your S or X to increase non-Supercharger charging from 48 amps to 72 amps (dual != double because of battery limitations). Would you mind citing your source?

Re: Volkswagen unveils the ID.3, its first affordable long-range electric car

#163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Motors integrated into the wheel might become a thing as well.

You mean make a comeback. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lohner-Porsche

That car would have been more popular if you could tell, by looking at it, which end was the front.

Re: Volkswagen unveils the ID.3, its first affordable long-range electric car

#164
post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Really? The gap isn’t that much, about $2200 looking at a before subsidy price. And the interior of the korean EVS are pretty cheap compared to the model 3, so if tesla wanted to they could make a tesla that uses cheap materials and doesn’t ship with special sensors. Call it the model 1. What holds me back is more a unknown / bad record of reliability with tesla and a lack of charging infrastructure in apartments for…

> so if tesla wanted to they could make a tesla that uses cheap materials and doesn’t ship with special sensors. Call it the model 1. Could they? So why don't they? The 35k Model 3 didn't go too well. Why will this Model 1 do better for Tesla? It's difficult to target multiple segments simultaneously. You need the scale of a company like Volkswagen to do it successfully. Tesla is headed for a decision point on the ki…

The reason why is because they were not targeting creating a low end bog standard plastic cheap car that the kona represents for the model 3. The cabin differences would have to be too big to deliver it as a trim.

Technologically I would see the model 1 being mostly the same platform as the model 3 with a cabin expressly designed for cheapness everywhere. So standard handles, standard ac, a 2 din stereo, everything plastic, only mirrors and cloth and no power seats. Kind of like the iphone xr with aluminum and an LCD. Make a platform variation is not that difficult.

That would make it bridge the gap and probably beat the kona price wise

Re: Volkswagen unveils the ID.3, its first affordable long-range electric car

#165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey thats a pretty good price. Built on the same platform as the ID3 apparently. 125 miles range is OK for 99% of the time. Long journeys then take a bit of planning but its very do-able.

No, it's the same care as the VW e-up!, which is not yet based on the new MEB platform.

I don’t think it is, this is based on a new platform that replaces the old e-up (which was rather mediocre).

Re: Volkswagen unveils the ID.3, its first affordable long-range electric car

#166
post #147

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BMW has an electric model just like Nissan, Renault. And it's a good car too, albeit kind of weird looking and with limited range. It's quite perfect for city driving, has an optional scooter engine if your battery is dead. I'm not a BMW fan but I like the i3, because it's everything other BMW models aren't. Most traditional car manufacturers are testing the EV waters with compact minis. Tesla is in the US market so…

Yes, the i3, which they are discontinuing. Most of their lineup is hybrids and ICE vehicles. They do have an electric mini which they recently announced as well as a few more models that they announced. Lets just say they are moving but slowly and rather late.

Yes, they're quite late to the show. Probably because their customers want muscle cars: hooligan M2s, hideous oversized fastback SUVs or luxury sedans. Most of their customer base wants cars with at least 250 mile range to be able to commute with on the autobahn, which they are unable to offer yet. Not EV minis. BMW blamed 20% revenue losses on EV R&D and emissions compiance.

Daimler, a company with similar clientelle, is moving even more slowly. At least they announced the EQC SUV, an EQV van, the EQ sedan. Which are of course all vapour yet. We'll see how good they are when they do arrive. Daimler does have have the truck division to keep them afloat and a two seat supermini, the Smart electric drive, which barely qualifies as a car.

Re: Volkswagen unveils the ID.3, its first affordable long-range electric car

#167
post #140
post #3

European here, trying to actually buy the thing. You can't. The first reservations will be fulfilled in the middle of 2020, but those will only be the mid-sized battery versions. If you want the version with a larger battery, there is no firm ship date, but it is expected in 2021. What I find somewhat amusing is that for the past months we've been bombarded by a huge marketing campaign advertising a car that doesn't…

Exactly what Tesla did when it marketed the 3. Wait list. Have friends that still waiting. Perfectly normal, factories for EVs have to be built from ground up or adapted. This takes time. In the meantime, why not win hearts and minds?

This is a bit like the 80s in communist countries: you'd wait for years on a waiting list to be able to buy a car.

Re: Volkswagen unveils the ID.3, its first affordable long-range electric car

#168
On a side note: German government just announced tax incentives for business-registered EVs, but only for those with a sales price less than 40.000€ [0]. This seems like a tailored offer to exclude the Tesla Model 3 in favour of Volkswagens ID.3. This is a big deal as 2/3s of all newly registered cars are registered by businesses [1] (German).

[0]: https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/germany-offer-higher-... [1]: https://conplore.com/news-posts/diesel-dominiert-mehr-als-zw...

Re: Volkswagen unveils the ID.3, its first affordable long-range electric car

#169
post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can buy touch screen friendly gloves... I always keep a pair in my car... nice thing about an electric car is you pre-heat without burning gas and being generally evil to the environment:)

Those don't work if it's especially cold. Even if cold-weather mitts had capacitive ability, they don't allow enough dexterity to do anything other than mash your hands all over a screen. I wear these mitts in the winter: https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_CA/mens-gloves/merc...

You drive a car with boxing gloves on?

Re: Volkswagen unveils the ID.3, its first affordable long-range electric car

#170
post #55

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Not pedantic, thank you for this info. I was under the impression this tariff existed because of the trade wars. The bad news is that it is less likely to be removed once Trump is out of office :-(

US tariffs are 2.5% on cars and 25% on light trucks, while in the EU it is 10% on both. Most vehicles (66% [1]) sold in the US fall under the light-truck category. What Trump has threatened to do is to impose a 25% tariff not only on cars, but maybe more importantly also on auto parts. So far it has not happened. [1] https://www.aei.org/publication/the-anti-consumer-25-chicken...

He's still threatening both the EU and Japan with the 25% car tariff. If the EU fails to negotiate in a timely manner it will get hit with the vehicle tariff.
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