Volkswagen announced on Tuesday that its fully electric ID.3 compact retained a 91% battery capacity after 160,000 km (99,400 miles) — about 20% more than the brand expected in its warranty after such mileage.
The VW ID.3 Pro S was tested by the German Automobile Club (ADAC) since May 2021, on the first-ever endurance test of a vehicle from the ID. family.
The model was equipped with a 77 kWh net battery — which provides a WLTP range of 525 km (326 miles) and was priced at €48,550 ($56,600).
After 160,000 km or eight years, Volkswagen‘s warranty expires, unless the State of Health (SoH) of the vehicle drops below 70%.
ADAC engineers reported that the car was frequently left fully charged and unused for several days, and they opted for fast chargers for 40% of all recharging sessions.
According to ADAC, the vehicle was able to make 400 km (250 miles) round trips in the Alps with a single charge.
This specific ID.3 was able to maintain its battery health by complying with over-the-air updates pushed by the brand, which “improved range, efficiency and charging” up to 170 kW.
The software update also contributed to improve power consumption over short distances in winter temperatures — frequently between 0 to 5ºC (32 to 41ºF).
On the other hand, ADAC noted that VW’s model had a few shortcomings in its infotainment and connectivity, citing imprecise and unlit controls and a “slow to boot” system.
Maintenance on the vehicle was performed twice over the past four years, with the parking sensor, battery and charging flap being the most prominent issues — ADAC flagged an “expensive” maintenance.
The Volkswagen ID.3 was the best-selling model across all powertrains in Germany last month, In June, according to data from the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) — with a 5.4% market share.
It was also the fifth best-selling model in the Norwegian market, with the ID.4 SUV and ID.7 executive car ranking third and fourth — Tesla’s Model Y led registrations in June.
Earlier this year, ADAC revealed that, according to data collected from over 3.6 million incidents requiring roadside assistance, electric vehicles are having fewer problems than those powered by internal combustion engines (ICE).
Despite receiving assistance calls for electric vehicles in 2025, compared to 2024, they accounted for only 1.2% of all services provided in that period.
