A four-year endurance test of a Volkswagen ID.3 has shown that almost 91 percent of battery capacity was retained after covering more than 160,000 kilometres, writes Brian Byrne. The test was carried out by the German independent automotive evaluation company ADAC.
Unlike what might be the norm for actual owners, the testers were more hard on the battery, using rapid charging stations for 40 percent of charge sessions and charging up to 100 percent many times, which would not be recommended.
During the endurance test, the ID.3 received several software updates – including the Electric Vehicle Route Planner, which plans the charging stops on a longer route so the destination is reached as quickly as possible. In addition to the charge level, the system also takes into account the current traffic situation and forecasts. Alongside various bug fixes, the updates included an increase in charging capacity to up to 170 kW.
The testers also found that the axles, suspension, and steering coped well with the vehicle weight and did not show any significant issues or problems.
