September 2019. Frankfurt. Volkswagen is preparing for the most important car premiere in its history since the Beetle and the first Golf. The ID.3 was meant to be what the Golf was in 1974 – a car for everyone. The problem? Three months before launch, the software didn’t work.

When the ID.3 debuted in September 2019, engineers knew they were in trouble. The car’s operating system – responsible for everything from lights to charging – was randomly freezing. Customers who had placed pre-orders waited. Volkswagen promised deliveries by summer 2020, but cars sat in warehouses without functioning software.

It wasn’t until August 2020 that the first ID.3s reached owners. But that wasn’t the end of the story. The first-generation battery (58 kWh) charged at a maximum of 100 kW. Competitors – Tesla Model 3, Hyundai Ioniq 5 – offered 150–250 kW. The media wrote: “Volkswagen is several years late.”

Then something unexpected happened.

2022. Volkswagen releases ID. Software 3.0. This wasn’t just another bug fix – it changed the charging curve.

Testers from Battery Life were the first to notice: the ID.3 with the new software charged significantly faster, especially between 10–30% battery level. The difference? Around 30–40 kW more power in that range. In practice, that’s 2–3 minutes saved at every fast-charging stop.

Interestingly, the biggest improvement came for the ID.3 Pro S (77 kWh). After the 2023 facelift, it reached a peak of 187 kW, despite Volkswagen’s official claim of 175 kW. That’s more than the previous generation, which barely exceeded 125 kW.

And here begins the fascinating story of how different batteries in the same car charge… completely differently.

The cheapest version, ~300 km range
AC: 7.2 kW (1-phase)
DC: 145 kW
10–80%: ~35 min

~430 km range
AC: 11 kW (3-phase)
DC: 165 kW
10–80%: ~30–33 min

~560 km range
AC: 11 kW
DC: 175–187 kW
10–80%: ~30–35 min

~600 km range, 326 hp, AWD
AC: 11 kW
DC: 185 kW
10–80%: ~26 min

✅ Stations where ID.3 reaches full power:
- Ionity – confirmed peak 186 kW
- Fastned – stable 170–180 kW
- Ekoen (Warsaw) – up to 187 kW but may interrupt session

❌ Stations where ID.3 barely exceeds 100 kW:
- GreenWay Polska (declared 200 kW) – in practice 90–110 kW
Problem: station architecture doesn’t support currents above 300 A.

Most ID.3 owners charge at home or work. Volkswagen designed a simple setup knowing we can charge overnight or during the day. All versions except Pure have an 11 kW (3-phase) onboard charger.

ID.3 Pro Performance (58 kWh): ~5–6 h
ID.3 Pro S (77 kWh): ~7–8 h
ID.3 GTX (79 kWh): ~7–8 h

Option 1: 3.7 kW Plug-in Charger (230V) – Slow, simple, universal
Option 2: 11 kW Three-Phase Charger – Recommended for all ID.3 versions except Pure.

Since all ID.3 versions (except Pure) accept 11 kW AC, the only logical options are Q11 or P11 mobile chargers.
Q11 – lighter, portable.
P11 – robust, can be wall-mounted.
Q22 – unnecessary, car supports max 11 kW AC.

ADAC tested an ID.3 Pro S for 2.5 years. Over 100 000 km driven, frequent fast charging up to 175 kW.
Result: only 7% degradation, still 93% of factory capacity after 100 000 km.

“After updating to Software 3.2, charging on trips finally makes sense. I used to dread the highway – now I do 400 km without stress.” – Piotr, ID.3 Pro S 2023

“In winter the range drops by ~25%, but that’s normal. In summer, mixed routes give me 450–480 km.” – Kasia, ID.3 Pro Performance 2024

“I bought a used 2021 ID.3. The first thing I did was update the software. The difference in charging – day and night.” – Marcin, ElektroWóz forum

✅ Charge to 80% daily to prolong battery life.
✅ Plan routes with Plug & Charge.
✅ Preheat battery 30 minutes before driving in winter.
❌ Avoid daily 100% charges or frequent 0–10% discharges.

The Volkswagen ID.3 was far from perfect at launch, but after years of updates it’s become one of the best compact EVs on the market.
Fast DC charging (175–187 kW), reliable battery (7% degradation after 100 000 km), practical 11 kW AC charging, and a wide VW service network make it a top used EV under 150 000 PLN.

👉 Q11 (11 kW mobile charger) – best choice for ID.3

👉 P11 (11 kW mobile charger) – sturdier, can double as wallbox

🔗 See full Ampere Point charger range: https://www.amperepoint.com