VW ID.3 charging guide

 

Volkswagen’s ID.3 is pitched by the company as the start of its third chapter – as important as the Beetle and Golf that went before it. The pure-electric hatchback is available with a choice of two battery sizes, and varying power levels will come along in due course.

VW ID.3 Range

 

How to charge a VW ID.3

The VW ID.3 uses the CCS charging standard, which consists of a combined AC and DC inlet port. The top portion of the inlet is for the Type 2 connector, which is used when charging at home, or at public slow and fast AC points. Both the upper and lower sections on the inlet are used to carry high power during rapid DC charging. The VW ID.3’s CCS charging inlet is found on the off-side rear flank, where you could expect to find a fuel filler flap.

The VW ID.3 is able to be slow, fast and rapid charged from public points, depending on the network and type of charge unit. In most cases, slow charging requires a 3-pin-to-Type 2 cable, and fast charging a Type 2-to-Type 2 cable, one of which is usually supplied with the vehicle. For rapid charging, the vehicle uses a tethered CCS connector which is part of the charging unit.

Type 2 – Slow & Fast	CCS – Rapid

Charging on AC or DC requires the EV driver to plug the connectors into the correct inlet, after which the car then ‘talks’ to the charging unit to make sure there is a power supply, that there are no faults, and that it is safe to start charging. If charging at private home or workplace charge point, the vehicle then automatically starts charging.

On a public charger, an activation process is required to initiate charging. Depending on the network provider, this may require the use of an RFID card or smartphone app, often linked to an account which has been set up beforehand. Contactless pay-as-you-go is now commonplace on rapid charge points. Once activated, the units will conduct further connection and account checks before starting to charge the vehicle.

How long does it take to charge an VW ID.3?

The following table shows approximate time to charge a VW ID.3 77 kWh model fitted with the standard 11 kW on-board charger. Times are for a 100% charge for all but rapid charging, which is quoted for 0-80% as most rapid chargers reduce or cut power well before 100% charge to protect the battery and maximise efficiency.

Note that the times shown are only a guide, as very rarely will an EV need to be fully charged from 0%. Other factors that might vary the charging time include ambient temperature, in-vehicle energy loads, any upper and lower charge restrictions to extend battery life and protect against potential damage, and charging rates slowing down as the maximum charge is reached.

Rapid 125kW	Rapid 50kW	Fast 22kW	Fast 7kW	Slow 3kW
38 mins 0-80%	1.2 hours 0-80%	7.5 hours 0-100%	13 hours 0-100%	26 hours 0-100%

 

The VW ID.3 is fitted with an 11 kW on-board charger for Type 2 AC charging as standard. This means that even when connected to a fast charger with a rated output above 11 kW, the VW ID.3 will only be able to charge at up to 11 kW. VW ID.3 models are capable of ultra-rapid charging, either at up to 100 kW DC for the 58 kWh battery, or 125 kW for the 77 kWh models.

Use Zap-Map’s Home Charging Calculator to estimate charging times for a VW ID.3. The level of battery charge, connector speed, and on-board charger options can be tailored to your requirements for more accurate results.

How much does it cost to charge a VW ID.3?

The table shown below shows estimates of the cost to charge the VW ID.3’s 77 kWh battery at home (on a domestic tariff) or using a rapid charge point. Cost estimates are dependent on the charge remaining, usable battery capacity, and age of battery pack. Cost per mile is calculated using an estimate of real-world range.

Type	Cost/kWh	Cost to charge	Cost per mile
Home	16 p/kWh	£12.30	4.1 p/mile
Public Rapid	30 p/kWh to 80% charge	£18.60	7.7 p/mile

 

Based on these figures, the VW ID.3’s fuel costs are 4-8 p/mile based on real-world energy usage, the cost depending on the type of charging. In general, home charging provides the cheapest per mile cost and public rapid charging tends to be around double the cost (per charge and per mile). These fuel costs compare favourably with 12-15 p/mile for conventional petrol and diesel cars.

To find the cost and times to charge an EV on a public charge point, Zap-Map’s Public Charging Calculator calculates charging costs for any new or used plug-in vehicle. The results can be personalised for different electricity costs and the level of charge required.

Charging a VW ID.3 at home

Buying a VW ID.3 will likely entitle you to an Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) grant. This will give you up to £300 off the cost of a fully installed charge point at home. Certain criteria need to be met, and off-street parking needs to be available too.

Customers can buy an OLEV approved charge point from any supplier, as long as it is also fitted by an OLEV approved installer in order to qualify for the EVHS. There are a number of different points and prices on the market so it is worth shopping about beforehand so you know what’s on offer.

 

Charging a VW ID.3 on public networks

The UK has a large number of public EV charging networks, with some offering national coverage and others only found in a specific region. The major UK-wide networks include BP Pulse, Osprey, Ubitricity, InstaVolt, GeniePoint, and Pod Point.

Payment and access methods across networks vary, with some networks providing an RFID card and others a smartphone app to use their services. While most require an account to be set up before use, some rapid units with contactless PAYG card readers are starting to be installed.

Although some EV charge points are free to use, the majority of fast and rapid chargers require payment. Charging tariffs tend to comprise a flat connection fee, a cost per charging time (pence per hour) and/or a cost per energy consumed (pence per kWh). For more information about network tariffs, visit Zap-Map’s public charge point networks guides.