SECTOR FOCUS: MOTORING
Plug in and prepare for launch with the new Volkswagen ID.3 Andy Pyle, content manager at pbmedia, road tests the all-electric ID.3 from Murray Volkswagen Plymouth and comes to a shocking conclusion.
The electric revolution IS During the first eight months coming, whether you like it or of 2021, VW sold 76,415 not. combined units of the ID.3 Whatever your views on and ID.4 in Western Europe Electric Vehicles (EVs), in the - approximately 44,000 and next 15 to 20 years there will be 33,000 respectively. no alternative. Added together, they surpass By 2030, the UK Government the sales numbers of the Tesla plans to ban sales of conventional Model 3, which was reportedly petrol and diesel cars. And plugnewly registered some 75,000 in hybrids will follow suit five times during the same period. years later. This year Volkswagen is One company experiencing incredible “This was not sitting on demand for its their hands is the most fun I'd battery-powered Volkswagen, who models as more and ever had on four more people consider three years ago wheels” caused a real buzz EVs as a viable when they announced alternative to petrol or their tech experts were diesel cars. working on a range of all-electric As someone who had never cars. driven an EV, I was eager - and The ID.3 represents the ever so slightly apprehensive - to German brand’s first venture get behind the wheel. into the pure electric market and Let’s start with the speed, started to hit UK showrooms last which I’m thrilled to say fulfilled year. all my expectations. VW says the name ID. means The ID.3 is quick… like REALLY “Intelligent design, identity and quick! visionary technologies”. I’ve driven fast cars before in In the current market (pun my previous role as a motoring intended), it could also stand for journalist. I even owned a Civic “In Demand”. Type-R some years ago and fell
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Summer 2022 Chamber Profile
in love with its raw acceleration. That was before I traded speed for space and bought something with a boot large enough for a pram and a balance bike… Even my dearly departed Type R, though, would struggle to keep up with the VW off the line. Having that instant power underfoot was unnerving for the first couple of miles. But like me, you’ll quickly realise operating the ID.3 is the same as driving a regular car. You could argue that it is even easier thanks to three very important differences. The first is that there’s no sound, which among other things makes it very easy to talk to your passengers! The neighbours were incredibly impressed by how quiet it was as I passed by. I’m also very pleased to report no
young footballers or balance bike riders were harmed during this review! Second is the lack of a physical handbrake. This may take a bit of getting used to for those who are used to a conventional or, in more recent times, electronic handbrake. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll quickly be using the hill stop to pull away from the lights with ease. The third difference is how smooth the ID.3 is to drive. After nearly 20 years of owning cars with manual gearboxes, I switched to an automatic a couple of years ago. In an automatic, while not actually having to change up or down, you can still feel it going through the gears. Electric power, though, is a continuous build-up. I was
