Volkswagen says deliveries of ID.3 electric car to start in September

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Volkswagen on Wednesday said its “first edition” ID.3 electric car will go on sale for under 40,000 euros ($45,484.00) next week, with deliveries due from September, as the German carmaker embarks on a mass production push for zero-emission cars.

The launch price makes the ID.3 eligible for up to 9,000 euros in electric car incentives after Germany earlier this month doubled electric car subsidies for vehicles costing less than 40,000 euros.

In March Volkswagen said the car will go on sale in “summer” while it said on Wednesday deliveries will start on September 1, following criticism that the company’s flagship electric cars was facing delays.

The launch of the ID.3 comes as German sales of battery electric cars rose by 20% in May, to 5,578 vehicles according to Germany’s auto industry association VDA.

Volkswagen said the ID.3 can be ordered from June 17 onwards. A cheaper base version of the ID.3, costing less than 30,000 euros, is also planned, the carmaker said.

(Reporting by Jan Schwartz and Edward Taylor; Editing by Michelle Martin)