When buying an electric car it’s easy to forget the peripheral equipment, like a home charging system that doesn’t involve open windows and extension leads. These can be an expensive outlay, but Volkswagen’s new ID Charger could change that.
The wallbox charger follows the launch of Volkswagen’s ID.3 electric car – and new ID brand overall. With pre-orders for the car comfortably into five figures, the marque’s plan for the ID.3 to popularise the electric Volkswagen appears to be working.
The ID Charger explained
Starting from £355, the ID Charger is designed to be an affordable home charging solution. It charges at a rate of 11kW, which means it will ‘fill up’ a 77kWh top-end ID.3 in less than eight hours, providing a claimed 341 miles of range.
That charge speed is around five times faster than a domestic power socket. Popularising home charging is an important investment for Volkswagen. It estimates around half of all electric vehicle charging will take place at home.
There are higher specifications of ID Charger, too. ‘Connect’ (£534) adds smartphone and internet connectivity, for easy monitoring.
The ID Charger Pro (£756) is the top specification, adding an integrated electric meter so you can keep an eye on costs. What these higher specs don’t add, however, is faster charging speeds.
The ID Charger will go on sale at the end of November 2019. You can order online or from a Volkswagen dealer.
