VW ID.3 Will Be Produced And Sold In China Too By SAIC

The US is still not on the list.

By: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo

Mar 29, 2021 at 9:28am ET

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When the Volkswagen ID.3 was first presented, we said it would probably be restricted to Europe because that’s a market that loves hatchbacks. While the US is fond of trucks and SUVs, China loves SUVs and sedans. But all analysis missed something: the Chinese market is so big it will buy anything in large quantities. That’s probably why SAIC decided to manufacture and sell the ID.3 in China as well.

The information came from Auto Sina. During the test drive of the ID.4, the oldest Volkswagen partner in China would have confirmed two new presentations for that market: the ID.6 and the electric hatchback.

The move must have made sense after the Wuling Hong Guang became the best selling electric car in China despite being very small and having a limited range. The explanation for its success is the affordable price, something the ID.3 could also offer in the Chinese market.

Considering the good reputation Volkswagen products have in China, the ID.3 would become the entry-level vehicle for the company’s EV range until the ID.2 is available by 2025.

The 45-kWh Pure version has a 330 kilometers (205 miles) WLTP range. Its price would allow it to appeal to a large number of customers. It costs €31,495 ($37,080) in Germany, but government incentives make its price as low as €22,000 ($25,900).

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According to Auto Sina, SAIC should also offer the 58 kWh and 77 kWh battery pack options to Chinese customers. Their WLTP ranges are respectively 420 km (261 mi) and 550 km (342 mi).

The Chinese website said SAIC plans to manufacture and sell the ID.3 in China in 2021. With SAIC’s decision, we do not doubt that FAW will also want a piece of the pie and will offer its own version of the ID.3, as it has also done for the ID.4 and the ID.6.

Source: Auto Sina via Moneyball