Watch This Volkswagen ID.3 Fast Charging Test

The ID.3, as promised, can handle about 100 kW of charging power and then gradually fades to 50 kW at 80% SOC.

By: Mark Kane

Sep 19, 2020 at 8:38am ET

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One of the first DC fast charging tests (from 2% to 100% state-of-charge) of the Volkswagen ID.3 1ST at the IONITY charging station proved that the car can handle 100 kW.

In this version, the battery pack is 58 kWh net/62 kWh total. The bigger battery version will be able to accept even more - 125 kW.

According to the Battery Life's test, 100 kW was available from the 2% SOC to almost a third of the capacity (over 30% SOC), with a peak of 103 kW.

Then, the charging rate was gradually falling but still was far better than in most of the other mainstream EVs, staying at around 50 kW at 80% SOC and at roughly 20 kW to the very end (99-100% SOC). That's a pretty decent result.

Charging time from 2% to 100% SOC was about 65 minutes. Because the power is gradually decreasing, it's probably worth stopping charging at 60-70% SOC, as it takes just about half of an hour (moving to 90% requires an additional 20 minutes).

What do you think?

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Charging times: