VW is guaranteeing 8 years of battery life on the ID.3

Volkswagen guarantees that the batteries of the ID.3 and future models of the ID.family will retain at least 70 per cent of their usable battery capacity after eight years and 160,000 kilometres, respectively. The batteries are designed for a charging capacity of up to 125 kW, as VW has now officially confirmed.

The future owners of the ID. models, according to VW. “Our aim is always for our batteries to last as long as the cars,” Frank Blome, head of the Center of Excellence for Batteries founded in 2017, is quoted in a Group press release.

However, it is unclear what will happen if the warranty claim comes into effect: the Group has not made any comment on whether the battery would then be replaced or whether there will be compensation for the customers.

Volkswagen also provided insights into the expected charging behaviour of ID. customers. The Group assumes that around 50 per cent of all charging processes will take place at home and 20 per cent at work. In an interview with electrive.net, Thomas Ulbrich, member of the VW E-Mobility Board of Management, stated plans to accelerate the expansion of the private charging infrastructure. According to VW, another 25 per cent of the charging processes are likely to take place on the road in public areas and five per cent along the highways. These, however, are average values: commuters with their own charging facilities at home are likely to use the facility for up to 50 per cent of charging operations, while frequent drivers were more likely to charge more than five per cent at highway HPC stations.

The charging capacity of the ID. models has also been designed for this anticipated charging behavior. The performance of a wallbox is sufficient to recharge the battery to 100 per cent overnight or during an 8 hour work day. According to VW, two charging stops are sufficient for the 800-kilometer stretch from Hamburg to Munich with the ID.3 with the largest battery option (550 kilometers WLTP range). If the car can take advantage of the 125 kW charging power at the column, around 260 kilometres (WLTP) could be recharged in 30 minutes.

volkswagen-newsroom.com (Battery), volkswagen-newsroom (Blome interview)