VW ID.3: price after the 2026 EV grant
The calculator is set to the VW ID.3 Neo. With your income and children it shows what is left of the price after the state grant.
Worked through by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How we calculate
Your EV grant
€5,000
Band 1: up to €45,000
| Household taxable income | €39,000 |
|---|---|
| Limit for your number of children | €80,000 |
| Headroom before €4,000 | €6,000 |
| Volkswagen ID.3 | €33,995 |
| Price after the grant | €28,995 |
| Apply by | 12 months after registration (November 2027) |
| Keep the car until at least | October 2029 |
With one more child under 18: €500 more.
List price ID.3 Neo, entry version, manufacturer figure read on 19 October 2026.
Estimate under the funding guideline of 19 May 2026 as of October 2026, not advice. Only the BAFA grant decision is binding, and there is no legal entitlement. How we calculate
Step-by-step calculation
- Household income: (€38,000 + €40,000) / 2 = €39,000, the average of the last two tax assessments.
- Children counted: 0. Income limit: €80,000 + €5,000 per child = €80,000.
- Band from the guideline table: Band 1: up to €45,000. Battery electric with 0 child(ren): €5,000.
- First registration in November 2026: inside the funding period (battery electric cars until 31 December 2029).
- Price after the grant: €33,995 − €5,000 = €28,995. The grant is paid into your account after registration; the dealer does not deduct it.
Volkswagen now sells the ID.3 as the ID.3 Neo; the entry version costs €33,995 according to the manufacturer. The German state EV grant is €3,000 to €6,000 depending on the household. A household with no child and taxable income of at most €45,000 therefore pays €28,995, in the third band up to €80,000 €30,995. Volkswagen also advertises its own ID. purchase bonus of up to €4,000; it is a manufacturer discount and does not reduce the state grant. Together they can bring the price in the first band down to €24,995 if the full manufacturer bonus is granted. In the BAFA statistics the ID.3 ranks 5th with 3,541 approvals. Most of these are still the Pro and Pure versions, only 244 the new Neo variants. There are 14.5 % approvals per new registration from January to September.
What the ID.3 Neo costs after the grant
The table sets the entry version’s list price, €33,995, against each grant amount. The manufacturer bonus is not deducted here yet. If you have a better-equipped variant or a discounted offer, enter the price in the calculator above.
| household taxable income | no child | 1 child | 2 children |
|---|---|---|---|
| €0 to €45,000 | €28,995 | €28,495 | €27,995 |
| €45,001 to €60,000 | €29,995 | €29,495 | €28,995 |
| €60,001 to €80,000 | €30,995 | €30,495 | €29,995 |
| €80,001 to €85,000 | no grant | €30,495 | €29,995 |
| €85,001 to €90,000 | no grant | no grant | €29,995 |
Two examples. A retired couple with joint taxable income of €38,000 and no qualifying children is in the first band and pays €28,995; how pensions count towards income is under pensioners. A single parent with one child on €52,000 lands in the second band and pays €29,495.
State grant and Volkswagen bonus
Volkswagen’s model page shows the price “less Volkswagen ID. purchase bonus of up to €4,000”. This bonus comes from the manufacturer and has nothing to do with the EV grant. It is settled at purchase, while the state grant is paid only after registration. The calculation below assumes the maximum; whether it applies to your car is shown in the quote.
| Household, no child | List price | VW bonus, at most | Grant | Remains |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| to €45,000 | €33,995 | €4,000 | €5,000 | €24,995 |
| to €60,000 | €33,995 | €4,000 | €4,000 | €25,995 |
| to €80,000 | €33,995 | €4,000 | €3,000 | €26,995 |
The order of payments matters: you pay the dealer the price after the manufacturer bonus and then wait for BAFA’s payment. If you finance the car, do not plan the state grant as a down payment. More on discounts, state programmes and other subsidies under combining grants.
Which ID.3 versions were funded
| Variant | Approvals | Share |
|---|---|---|
| ID.3 Pro, 150 kW | 1,863 | 52.6 % |
| ID.3 Pure, 125 kW | 1,013 | 28.6 % |
| ID.3 Pro S, 170 kW | 252 | 7.1 % |
| ID.3 Neo, 140 kW | 125 | 3.5 % |
| ID.3 GTX, 210 kW | 105 | 3.0 % |
| ID.3 Neo, 125 kW | 79 | 2.2 % |
| ID.3 GTX Performance, 240 kW | 64 | 1.8 % |
| ID.3 Neo, 170 kW | 40 | 1.1 % |
About four fifths of approvals are for the Pro and Pure versions, which Volkswagen no longer sells under those names. The three Neo variants together reach only 244. That shows how many previous-generation ID.3 cars were still sold new during the year. Such cars qualify if they are new. With run-out stock, though, take care: dealers like to register them as pre-registrations to meet targets, and then the grant is lost. The rules are under new cars and pre-registration.
The ID.3 next to comparable models
| Model | List price | net to €45,000, no child | Approvals | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leapmotor B10 | €32,900 | €27,900 | 1,268 | 31.1 % |
| Volkswagen ID.3 | €33,995 | €28,995 | 3,541 | 14.5 % |
| Kia EV3 | €36,190 | €31,190 | 1,934 | 26.3 % |
| Skoda Elroq | €37,890 | €32,890 | 5,710 | 18.5 % |
| Cupra Born | €39,990 | €34,990 | 2,806 | 21.8 % |
The Cupra Born and the Skoda Elroq use the same platform as the ID.3. The Born costs €5,995 more as an entry model, the Elroq €3,895. Before the manufacturer bonus, the Leapmotor B10 is the cheapest car in the group; with Volkswagen’s full bonus the ID.3 comes in below it. The state grant is the same for all and does not change the gaps.
What the entry price includes
Next to the €33,995 price, Volkswagen names no trim level and no battery size. The figure “up to 629 km” on the model page applies to the version with the longest range, not the entry model. If you compare, ask for the exact version with battery and range in the quote. It makes no difference to the grant, but it does to the decision: between the smallest and largest battery the ID.3 has clear price differences, and the grant does not offset them.
Purchase, finance or lease
The grant applies to a purchase, including with finance, and to a private lease with a sufficient term. In every case, the person the ID.3 is registered to makes the application. Whether Volkswagen’s ID. purchase bonus also applies to a lease, or enters the monthly rate in another form, is set by the manufacturer’s terms; ask before you compare offers. With finance, look at the final instalment: the state grant arrives only after a few weeks, but it can be used for an early repayment if the contract allows. The detailed rules are under leasing.
Registrations by month
| Month | New registrations |
|---|---|
| January | 2,405 |
| February | 2,455 |
| March | 3,298 |
| April | 3,518 |
| May | 3,050 |
| June | 3,514 |
| July | 2,220 |
| August | 1,467 |
| September | 2,425 |
Up to June, between just over 2,400 and just over 3,500 new ID.3 cars reached the road each month. In July and August the figures fell clearly, with the low in August at 1,467. In September they rose again. The figures say nothing about the reasons, but a model change such as the switch to the ID.3 Neo often causes a dip like this.
After the purchase
For the grant, the ID.3 must stay registered to you for 36 months. If you sell it earlier, BAFA can reclaim all or part of the grant; what applies after an accident, theft or a move is under holding period. Vehicle tax is waived until 31 December 2035 for a first registration in December 2026, and you can sell the GHG quota every year. BAFA’s FAQ also cover special cases such as the keeper’s death or a replacement car after a contract is rescinded.
A last note on the dealer’s invoice: if the Volkswagen bonus appears there as a discount, the final price shown is lower accordingly. That is no problem, because the state grant does not depend on the purchase price. Do make sure the invoice, purchase contract and registration carry the same name, otherwise BAFA will ask and payment will be delayed.