Volkswagen Says ID.3 Still Coming, Even If It Isn't Ready
Running a little behind in its electric vehicle program, Volkswagen plans to resume production of its battery-powered ID.3 hatchback this Thursday. This is part of its revised strategy aimed at helping the company endure the bleak outlook created by coronavirus countermeasures that upended the global economy.
Like most automakers, VW will be on the hook for sizable fines in Europe if it fails to improve fleet-wide emissions this year, and it’s now losing cash as factories remain shuttered and consumers hone their social distancing skills.
With the latter problem almost completely out of its grasp, Volkswagen is focusing on making sure the ID.3 lands on the market this summer — even if that means rushing it out the door in a less-than-ideal state. Back in February, it was reported that the model suffered from a glut of software issues (an oddly common issue with the brand’s pre-production EVs) that could force VW to delay the ID.3’s launch. That apparently won’t be an issue, as it’s just going to run with whatever code it has at the ready.
On Wednesday, a Volkswagen informed Automotive News that the converted Zwickau facility it now uses to build electric vehicles for the VW, Audi and Seat brands is a go for assembly. The site will resume production later this week so the ID.3 official debut can move ahead as planned.
“Our target is to deliver the 30,000 ID.3 first-edition pre-booked models to all customers at the same time,” a spokesperson explained.
“Vehicles built will be equipped with whatever version of the software suite is current at the corresponding time of their production and prior to their delivery to customers in summer will receive the latest version. Subsequent to the market launch the digital functions will then continue to be updated in regular increments in the following months.”
Based on the severity and frequency of February’s claimed software glitches, we’re curious to see how the first batch turns out. Thousands of those cars have already been built and are reportedly being held in storage while employees address technical issues. Worryingly, being manufactured without over-the-air updates seems to have been one of the problems, but our thoughts remain focused on how consumers will respond to this solution. Is this really how people are going to want to buy their cars moving forward?
Volkswagen is asking a lot by delivering a potentially broken product it plans on gradually remedying through months of remote updates. Tesla has shown some of the benefits of connected cars by issuing meaningful over-the-air overhauls that add features or improve performance. That said, Tesla has also shown how easily a corporation can use those same tools against consumers by charging for updates that never come (FSD) or digitally neutering cars on the secondhand market. VW’s willingness to use cutting-edge technologies to deliver an unfinished-sounding product seems wholly unnecessary and sets another lousy precedent for the industry.
Even if the ID.3’s launch isn’t a disaster, Volkswagen still expects customers to pay for the privilege of beta testing its latest model.
[Images: Volkswagen]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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Come on people, this is VW. They'll just put a TDi down there with enough sound deadening and say it's an EV.
With every article I read, I feel better and better about buying used and paying cash. No lease headaches, no software glitches, no black box tracking, no potential on-the-road hacking, no Comprehensive insurance, no German Engineering, no monthly payments... and I can do all the maintenance and minor to moderate repairs myself for just the cost of the parts.