Volkswagen’s RWD electric version of the Golf hatchback, the ID 3, aced its exam when it was put through its paces by German roadside assistance company ADAC. VW’s warranty says that it will replace the battery for you if it falls below 70% capacity after 100,000 miles. Well, after ADAC’s testing, the little hatch beat that and then some, retaining 91% capacity (plus or minus 3%). To put it another way, of the 272 mile range that the testers originally got out of a full charge, the car only lost eight miles across four years of use. Energizer bunny, eat your heart out.
ADAC used an ID 3 Pro S, which carries a 77kWh battery. They put the hatchback’s battery through the ringer, using rapid charging stations for 40% of their stops and even left charging for several-day stretches between drives. In other words, this was a decent real-world test, not a lab-conditions thing, and yet the ID 3 still held on to the bulk of its capacity. The car even got better throughout the four-year test because of software updates that improved charging time and the battery’s performance in low temperatures.
How the ID 3 did during its four-year test
ADAC test the ID 3 for a range of performance figures as well. While the ID 3 Pro S has a claimed range of 325 miles, the team found this to be closer to 250 in the real world, or 185 when the real world is very cold outside. Still, those are average; ADAC notes that they did manage to do one drive in the Alps in the winter that was close to the 250 mark. A silent drive in the Alps draped in snow? How do I get a job at ADAC?
The test wasn’t all good news, as the ID 3 did suffer a series of mechanical faults over its 100,000 mile run. The biggest was an issue with the drive shaft, which took two attempts to repair. There wasn’t anything major, though, and ADAC says the car is still comfortable to drive.
So, where is the ID 3 now? The team isn’t done with it just yet. They say they’ll be back once the hatch hits its next milestone: 150,000 miles. As for the model itself, it ought to be getting a hot version soon, dubbed the GTX. It may even ditch the ID 3 name and be called what it should have been all along — the Golf.