Photo: Volkswagen
Targeting a market launch for the ID.3 electric vehicle in 2020, Volkswagen has to start making the car by the end of this year. For that to happen, the carmaker is already in the process of retrofitting the plant in Zwickau to become the “largest production site for electric mobility in Europe.”
The first 200 ID.3s have already been produced at the facility, as a means for the carmaker to see what processes need to be tweaked before mass production commences. Zwickau will be in charge of making solely electric vehicles, with a production target of 1,500 cars per day by the end of 2020.
Thomas Ulbrich, Volkswagen’s manager for E-Mobility, says that VW has already turned on half of the 1,500 new robots for body construction, and now the paint shop is being expanded. This summer, the first production line should be ready.
“The transformation to electric mobility is a huge task for Volkswagen, Volkswagen Sachsen and its workforce," the executive said.
“We’ve successfully accomplished the first phase of that. Around half of the 1,500 new robots for body construction are already in operation, for example. The paint shop is currently being expanded and we’ll commence conversion of the first line in final assembly as planned in the summer.”
The ID.3 will sell in Europe starting at under €30,000 in Germany and will offer several battery options, with ranges going from 300 to 550 km (205 to 342 miles).
The first to go on sale is the ID.3 1ST that comes with a range of 420 km (261 miles), free charging for a year or a total of 2,000 kWh, voice control, and navigation system. Priced at €40,000, the model received in just one day over 10,000 pre-booking requests.
Three versions of the 1ST are available, starting with the base, continuing with the ID.3 1ST Plus that adds additional IQ. Light and bi-color exterior and interior design and the ID.3 1ST Max with large panoramic glass roof and augmented reality head-up display.
Thomas Ulbrich, Volkswagen’s manager for E-Mobility, says that VW has already turned on half of the 1,500 new robots for body construction, and now the paint shop is being expanded. This summer, the first production line should be ready.
“The transformation to electric mobility is a huge task for Volkswagen, Volkswagen Sachsen and its workforce," the executive said.
“We’ve successfully accomplished the first phase of that. Around half of the 1,500 new robots for body construction are already in operation, for example. The paint shop is currently being expanded and we’ll commence conversion of the first line in final assembly as planned in the summer.”
The ID.3 will sell in Europe starting at under €30,000 in Germany and will offer several battery options, with ranges going from 300 to 550 km (205 to 342 miles).
The first to go on sale is the ID.3 1ST that comes with a range of 420 km (261 miles), free charging for a year or a total of 2,000 kWh, voice control, and navigation system. Priced at €40,000, the model received in just one day over 10,000 pre-booking requests.
Three versions of the 1ST are available, starting with the base, continuing with the ID.3 1ST Plus that adds additional IQ. Light and bi-color exterior and interior design and the ID.3 1ST Max with large panoramic glass roof and augmented reality head-up display.
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