The Volkswagen ID.3 is the brand's new electric vehicle for the city and it just might get a convertible version in the future. The idea was hinted at by Herbert Diess - CEO, VW Group, with sketches of the ID.3 Convertible posted on social media. The company was assessing the response to the sketch online, calling it an 'e-convertible'. If the project is greenlit, the ID.3 Convertible will become the brand's first all-electric open-top offering.
undefinedquiet, smooth, open: We‘re thinking about an e-convertible, maybe an #VWID3 convertible. What do you think? pic.twitter.com/cfLHu3OGa9
— Herbert Diess (@Herbert_Diess) March 1, 2021
The Volkswagen ID.3 is based on the brand's electrified MEB platform that will underpin a number of cars under the VW umbrella across several body styles. It's safe to say that the convertible version would be an extension of the car on sale today and is likely to arrive with the facelifted ID.3 that is scheduled n 2023. It's unclear at the moment if the idea is just on paper of Volkswagen has explored the engineering of the project.
The Volkswagen ID.3 Convertible could see a lower range compared to the hard-top version due to the higher kerb weight
That said, the Volkswagen ID.3 Convertible certainly looks promising. The model loses its rear doors, while the rear-end has been redesigned to give it a more prominent look over the existing version of the ID.3. Barring the missing roof, the ID.3 Convertible very much looks identical to the model on sale and looks nice. With respect to the powertrain, the model is likely to use the same 150 kW electric motor that produces about 201 bhp and 310 Nm of peak torque. The hard-top version promises a range of 420 km (WLTP) on a single charge.
The Volkswagen ID.3 is currently on sale in Europe
When it comes to feasibility, it needs to be seen what kind of limitations will the automaker face. Usually, convertibles are heavier than hard-top vehicles and that could impact the range of the ID.3 Convertible. Interestingly, there aren't many electric convertibles to compare the ID.3 with, to understand how the segment has performed in the past. Globally, the popularity of convertibles has seen a dip in recent times. Barring the T-Roc Cabriolet, there aren't any other open-top models in the brand's line-up.
