Volkswagen ID.3 passes 100,000 km test by ADAC
After two and a half years and over 100,000 km, the battery of the all-electric compact still has a net capacity of 93%. A recommendation from the ADAC engineers: always install software updates.
Performance and durability are key characteristics for batteries, the heart of every electric car; the Volkswagen Group develops them with great care, precisely to ensure that their qualities are maintained over time. This is also demonstrated by the excellent results of the endurance test carried out by the German ADAC - Europe's largest automobile association - with the Volkswagen ID.3. After more than 100,000 kilometres covered by the engineers at the Test and Technology Center in Landsberg am Lech, the high-voltage battery of the ID.3 Pro S still has a net capacity of 93 percent.
Reliable battery
A version with 77 kWh battery energy content was tested, for which Volkswagen, as for all other models in the ID. family, guarantees that the battery still has at least 70 percent of its original net capacity after eight years in operation or 160,000 km of driving. An important figure, also considering that the ADAC testers did not take any special care with the battery: to reach the 100,000 km target as quickly as possible, the ID.3 was often charged to 100 percent in fast charging stations. In addition, contrary to what is recommended for preserving the 'health' of the battery, the ID.3 was often prepared for the next test at the charging station with a 100 percent charge level, sometimes for several days.
Software Updates
The endurance test is the first of its kind for a vehicle of the all-electric ID. family; between test drives, the ID.3 was repeatedly checked by engineers from the ADAC Centre. Eight main criteria and over three hundred sub-criteria were taken into account in the test, ranging from technology and safety to handling, ease of operation and environmental impact. Once completed the analysis, the ADAC recommends that ID.3 customers always install software updates; the endurance-tested model received several and always benefited from them. The updates not only fixed bugs and had a positive effect on consumption and thus improved the range, but also increased the charging power to 170 kW.
Route planning
The latest version of the software has significantly improved energy consumption over short distances and winter temperatures of 0 to 5 °C. The ADAC engineers also appreciated the intelligent electric vehicle route planning function, which was also introduced via an update. This software calculates and suggests stops for recharging in order to reach the destination as quickly as possible, even on long routes. In addition to the state of battery charge, the system also takes into account current traffic situation and forecasts. As a result, stops for charging are also dynamically evaluated based on the power of the charging stations. Thus, the route planner might suggest two short stops with high power charging instead of a single long stop with low power.
Source: Volkswagen
VGI | O.U. Responsible: VP | Date of creation: Date of article | Class 9.1