VW teases fully electric convertible ID.3

March 2, 2021March 2, 2021 Iain Curry 1680 Views id.3 convertible, ID3, ID3 convertible, vw id, VW ID.3

Volkswagen’s on the tease again, this time posting official rendered images of its Golf-sized electric ID.3 hatchback in convertible guise.

VW’s CEO, Ralf Brandstatter, shared the drop-top images on his LinkedIn page, stating: “I admit: a very tempting idea.” This very modern way of testing the water – the images have also appeared across VW’s social media sites – includes a request for what VW’s followers think of the concept.

Brandstatter writes: “This could provide an entirely new, extraordinary feeling of freedom,” and: “We are still pondering how to turn this attractive concept into reality.”

Volkswagen has announced a US$41 billion ($52 billion) spend on battery electric vehicles over the next five years and plans to launch 70 EVs by 2030. But will this fun-looking ID.3 cabrio be included?

VW ID.3 Convertible Concept official rendering

Sources suggest Volkswagen is soon due to reveal more affordable ID.1 and ID.2 EVs to sit below the current ID.3 hatchback, but the idea VW was due to embrace a fun-packed EV future lost some sheen when it announced it had shelved plans to produce the ID Buggy.

An ID.3 Convertible would inject a dash more joie de vivre to VW’s ID range to compensate for the Buggy’s loss. The renderings show it to be a two-door four-seater, so could be a far cheaper (and far slower) alternative, when it arrives, to the Tesla Roadster.

The ID.3 hatchback is on sale in the UK’s RHD market with 58kWh or 77kWh battery packs, offering ranges of 424km and 541km respectively. It is priced from £31,670 ($56,800) before government rebates. You can expect a convertible version to cost a decent wedge over that.

Unfortunately, it’s very unlikely Australia will receive the ID.3 or its mid-size SUV ID.4 stablemate before 2023, due to global demand.

A reasonably affordable drop-top EV would be quite the niche creator for Volkswagen, and that unimpeachable window of public opinion – social media comments sections – showed plenty of support and desire for an ID.3 convertible.

Proving how it’s so very down with the kids, VW’s Twitter post allows followers to choose if they think the concept is ‘AWESOME!’ ‘NOT BAD, but..’ or ‘DON’T do this, please.’

At last count, ‘AWESOME’ was winning out by a solid 67%, you’ll be please to hear.

VW ID Buggy — Could an ID.3 Convertible make up for VW shelving its ID BUGGY plans?

Plenty rejected the Convertible idea however, or at least suggested a focus on other areas first.

Demands for an ID.3 wagon regularly cropped up in the comments, as did a proper VW 4×4 offering with electric propulsion. And, quite correctly, a reconsider on dropping the Buggy idea.

Iain Curry

A motoring writer and photographer for two decades, Iain started in print magazines in London as editor of Performance BMW and features writer for BMW Car, GT Porsche and 4Drive magazines. His love of motor sport and high performance petrol cars was rudely interrupted in 2011 when he was one of the first journalists to drive BMW's 1 Series ActiveE EV, and has been testing hybrids, PHEVs and EVs for Australian newspapers ever since. Based near Noosa in Queensland, his weekly newspaper articles cover new vehicle reviews and consumer advice, while his photography is regularly seen on the pages of glossy magazines.