This Video Explains Why The VW ID.3 Beats The Tesla Model 3 In Europe

Apart from scale, the ID.3 appeals to the typical Golf buyer – and that is a major advantage.

Gustavo Henrique Ruffo

By: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo

Dec 24, 2020 at 11:00am ET

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We already know pretty much everything that there is to know about the ID.3 – including its issues. In that sense, why would another review be relevant? In this case, it is because it helps to put into perspective why the Tesla Model 3 lost ground so quickly in Europe to this Volkswagen contender in the EV world.

Cameron Tait asks that very question on the title of this YesAuto UK video and also as soon as it starts. Although the Model 3 is a larger vehicle than the ID.3 – 4.69 meters versus 4.26 m – the Tesla was the car most European customers chose to buy when they had to drive long distances often. In some countries such as Portugal – which do not have an independent fast-charging network such as Ionity – it will still be the main choice, but the ID.3 came to change that in most of the other countries.

IONITY fast charging station

European streets do not cope well with large cars such as the Model 3. If it is not that big in the US, think about it as a matter of reference. The Fiat 500e, the Chevrolet Bolt, and the Leaf are the ones with the most common sizes in Europe.

The electric Volkswagen is pretty close to the Nissan. Other EVs for sale in the Old Continent – such as the Renault ZOE, the Peugeot e-208, and the Honda E – show that size matters. What the ID.3 adds to this equation is a larger range than its competitors – depending on the battery pack that the customer chooses.

Although Tait only marginally addresses that, the range is a major factor for people to like the ID.3’s proposition. It makes it a practical car, not only a transportation machine that helps people save money when charging instead of refueling.

If that was not enough, the ID.3 offers a very similar driving experience to that people get in the Golf. It is not extraordinary, but it is also not dull nor frightening: it is familiar. When we know that the Golf is one of the best-selling cars globally, current sale numbers make even more sense.

More Volkswagen ID.3 News:

VW’s Big ID. Software Update Fixed Some Issues, But Left Some For Later

Greenpeace Says VW Doesn’t Want To Sell EVs But It Misses The Point

Remember that the ID.3 is still not selling to its full potential. Production is still ramping up, and more cautious buyers will probably wait for early adopters to approve it or not. The electric hatchback had some software issues that Volkswagen claims to have solved, although we already know there are some still left to fix.

What do you think?

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This video shows why Elon Musk will need to rush to create the European Tesla he has promised back in September. It is not just a matter of looking more local: it may be crucial in achieving high production volumes in that market.

Source: YesAuto UK

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