# VW CEO says new ID.3 car 40% cheaper to build than electric Golf



## SKing (Aug 30, 2019)

Chief Executive Herbert Diess recently told investors that ID.3 will be 40% cheaper to build than the e-Golf. I didn't think it would be that big of a difference. It would be cool to see an actual cost breakdown between the two cars but I don't see that happening haha. 



> FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Volkswagen’s (VOWG_p.DE) new ID.3 electric vehicle will be 40% cheaper to build than the electric version of its Golf model, Chief Executive Herbert Diess told investors on Monday.
> 
> The battery in the new ID.3 can be used to add structural rigidity to the body and the modular layout of the battery allows for advantages in packaging and economies of scale.
> 
> ...


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## Sixtysomething (Aug 7, 2003)

So split the difference. If it costs 40% less to build, price it 20% less than a current E-Golf. That would put it at about $24000 US dollars, a much more appealing price than the $40,000 everyone seems to expect it will cost. Reasonably-priced EVs would spark my interest, but not when they are slated to START in the upper 30s-low 40s.........


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## RennWerks (Aug 19, 2003)

I'm still waiting for *an explanation that makes sense* as to why we (in the U.S.) won't be getting the ID.3. I've heard the argument that "Americans don't buy hatchbacks." That, IMHO, is nonsense. It is true that we don't buy ugly hatchbacks. Nor unreliable ones. But we were buying the hell out of the Alltrack for a year or so until it, too, turned out to be a Volkswagen Golf with the same issues they all do. Now you can't give them away. 

So, one more chance here: Your EVs need to be reliable. Not perfect. That's not realistic. But go for "average." Two/three years in they should be seen as vehicles with average reliability. Even Hyundai is capable of that. 

Frankly, I don't think Volkswagen AG is capable of manufacturing a fleet of EVs that turn out to be of average reliability, but who knows, stranger things have happened.


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## jjvincent (Dec 8, 2003)

RennWerks said:


> I'm still waiting for *an explanation that makes sense* as to why we (in the U.S.) won't be getting the ID.3. I've heard the argument that "Americans don't buy hatchbacks." That, IMHO, is nonsense. It is true that we don't buy ugly hatchbacks. Nor unreliable ones. But we were buying the hell out of the Alltrack for a year or so until it, too, turned out to be a Volkswagen Golf with the same issues they all do. Now you can't give them away.
> 
> So, one more chance here: Your EVs need to be reliable. Not perfect. That's not realistic. But go for "average." Two/three years in they should be seen as vehicles with average reliability. Even Hyundai is capable of that.
> 
> Frankly, I don't think Volkswagen AG is capable of manufacturing a fleet of EVs that turn out to be of average reliability, but who knows, stranger things have happened.


Americans love hatchbacks, as long as they are in the form of an SUV. VW sales have proven that the Golf is a dud here in the US when it comes to sales. It does great in Europe though. So, it can't be an ugly piece of garbage because if it was, then the European sales would have plummeted.

VW did not sell the hell out of the Alltrack. The GSW sales numbers were combined with the Alltrack ones. When you looked at that number, the GSW/AT sales numbers doubled to about 3K per month for a few months. Those numbers plummeted back down to about 1K as soon as the New Tiguan and Atlas came out. When you look at the numbers until the end of Nov, the Tiguan and Atlas consist of 46% of VW sales. 

Here's your explanation for why the ID.3 will not be in the US. For VWoA, they know that Americans buy SUV's and the hatchback is just a niche. If I was working for VWoA, I would not bring a hatchback to the US but expand the SUV and crossover selections. That's because I'd want to not get fired. Thus the reason why the ID.3 will not be sold here because VWoA employees want to keep their job and not get fired just to please a niche market.


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