VW's electric hatchback has a name: ID 3

Almost three years after first showed off its electric hatchback concept, the first car in VW's ID lineup is almost here, and now it finally has a name.

Volkswagen officially introduced the ID 3 five-door to the world on Wednesday, ahead of its formal debut at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show in September. In addition to offering some more information about its upcoming EV, VW also put out some new pictures of the ID 3, showing the vehicle's production silhouette in its best vaporwave camouflage.

So why start with 3? It's not a riff on taxonomic structure -- instead, it shows that there's room both above and below this model for future electric cars . The Golf isn't the smallest car Volkswagen makes in Europe, so it stands to reason that the similarly sized (we think) ID 3 shouldn't be the smallest EV the automaker builds.

This naming structure will also extend to other concepts we've already seen with different names. When they make it to production, the ID Crozz, ID Vizzion, ID Roomzz and others will be given similar numerical names.

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While VW didn't give away the whole show, the automaker did offer up a few key details about what to expect. It will have three battery options: The short-range battery offers about 205 miles by WLTP measurements, with a midrange battery delivering about 261 miles, while the long-range battery extends that to about 342 miles. The lowest-range model is believed to start under 30,000 euros (about $33,600) in Germany, less any local incentives.

As with many other fresh debuts, VW already has a special edition lined up. The ID 3 1st model was designed specifically for preorders, and it will come in four different colors and three different trims. The base trim includes larger wheels and navigation. The midlevel ID 3 1st Plus adds a two-tone exterior and interior, while the top ID 3 1st Max adds a panoramic roof and an augmented-reality HUD. The automaker says this one will be available for less than 40,000 euros. ID 3 1st buyers will also get 2,000 kilowatt-hours of free charges in the first year of ownership.

There's still plenty of time before the ID 3 actually becomes a car. Production doesn't start until the end of 2019, and deliveries won't start for European customers until mid-2020. Some markets will get early access to preorders, while others will have to wait until after Frankfurt -- in total, 29 markets will be eligible for ID 3 preorders. A 1,000-euro deposit is required, but in Germany, the deposit will remain refundable until next April. In the US, we'll get the ID Crozz crossover first, and while the ID 3 isn't a given for the US market yet, let's hope VW comes around to that notion in the future.

Check out the VW ID 3's clever camouflage

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