There are lots of motorist out there that have a soft spot for anything Volkswagen makes. One reason for this is nostalgia. Maybe they drove a VW Beetle or Microbus during their youth, which triggered life long brand loyalty. The second reason for this is that Volkswagen has done a great job of using technology to make its vehicles more stylish, economical, and comfortable over the years. With the introduction of the Volkswagen ID3 hatchback (stylized as the ID.3), the company is finally putting its knowledge of modern electrification technology to good use.

Here are the six things you need to know.

Volkswagen’s ID.3 Future

Volkswagen may still be reeling from the diesel scandal that seriously impacted its reputation worldwide and cost it billions of dollars, but it may have a solution. Instead of slowly adding electric vehicles to its lineup, Volkswagen intends to go all-in on EVs. The ID.3 is its first long-range production EV, with many others planned over the next few years. If you believe Volkswagen, the ID.3 is as important as the Beetle and Golf, two cars that helped make VW a household name.

Low-Risk Purchase

It will be some time before the Volkswagen ID.3 is available to consumers, but VW has made it clear it doesn’t want long-term reliability of the vehicle, or at least the battery, to be an issue. Each ID.3 will come with an 8-year warranty on its battery pack.

The batteries will be placed under the vehicle, integrated into the underbody in such a way that its center of gravity will be a little lower than similar cars while improving aerodynamics and drivability.

Battery Technology

The plan is to create three different battery options for the ID.3. The most basic is a 45-kWh pack that will power the vehicle for about 165 miles on the EPA cycle. The second choice will be a 58-kWh battery that increase range to about 210 miles. The top-spec battery will be the 77-kWh option, which can power the ID.3 for approximately 275 miles. VW reports that on a 100-kW charger, it will take about 30 minutes for the battery will be ready to drive another 145 miles.

The Future VW Golf?

When you look at the Volkswagen ID.3 it’s clearly part of the VW family. It may not be identical, but we see a lot of the Volkswagen Golf in the design. The great thing is that, while the ID.3’s design may evoke a future Golf, its electric layout allows VW to give passengers more room in a similarly sized package. The additional interior space may actually convince crossover customers to give a hatchback a chance.

EV = Economical Vehicle

VW realizes that not everyone who likes the idea of an all-electric vehicle has a great deal of money to invest into a new car, which is why it worked to keep the ID.3 as budget-friendly as possible. Even though we won’t get it in the U.S., in Europe, the ID.3 will start well below the price of the GTI.

ID.3 Technology

VW didn’t skimp when it came to adding driver’s assistance programs to the ID.3. It seems to have all sorts of gadgets that are designed to decrease stress and increase safety during commutes. Included features are:

• Multiple touch-sensitive buttons
• Head-up display
• Voice-activated controls
• Brake prompting
• App connect
• An electrically adjustable multifunction steering wheel

Even though the ID.3 won’t come to the U.S., expect a crossover built on the same platform to be available soon.