The all-new Volkswagen ID.3 hatchback is the German automaker's first attempt at building an all-electric vehicle from the ground-up. With the e-Golf now leaving the scene, it'll be up to the ID.3 to lure EV hatchback customers overseas. Here in North America, we'll be getting the ID.3's cousin, the VW ID.4 crossover, starting next year. And already the ID.3 is exceeding expectations.

VW has just announced an ID.3 driven by Felix Egolf, a pro driver (no relation to the electric Golf, it's just a coincidence), traveled from the Zwickau factory in Germany to Switzerland on a single charge. That's a total of 531 kilometers (about 330 miles) and a new record. Officially, the ID.3 maximum WLTP-rated range is 420 kilometers (261 miles), meaning it exceeded estimated range by over 100 kilometers. That's a range increase of 26 percent.

Bear in mind this particular ID.3 is a Pro Performance trim with the 58 kWh battery. Only public roads and highways were utilized. One of Egolf's specialties is hypermiling, meaning he utilizes driving techniques aimed at maximizing efficiency and minimizing consumption. For example, there were times on the highway where he took advantage of the slipstream of trucks driving in front of him. He also regularly lifted off the accelerator in order to let the vehicle simply coast.

In order to simulate a more real-world scenario, this ID.3 was packing some serious weight. It wasn't just the driver with a bottle of water, but also a cameraman and navigation equipment. This alone tacked on over 550 pounds. It should also be noted power-draining systems like navigation, daytime running lights, the radio, and ventilation were all either temporarily or permanently turned on.

The average speed was calculated at 56 kmh, or about 35 mph, and the journey took a total of about nine hours. Total power consumption came to just 10.9 kWh/100 km. To compare, the ID.3's standardized rating here is 15.4-14.5 kWh/100 km.

It's worth noting that the ID.4 won't return these exact figures. The EPA and WLTP testing cycles are slightly different, while the ID.4 is slightly larger and, therefore, heavier. But the fact that the ID.3 has proven itself to be an efficient long-range driver, even though its average speed was pretty slow, is further proof issues such as range anxiety and weak batteries will very soon be a thing of the past.