Volkswagen has confirmed plans to introduce its first all-electric hot hatch.
CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars Ralf Brandstatter told Auto Express his company will put the ID.X concept into production as the ID.3 GTX.
“The decision is made. We have the ID.4 GTX, and the ID.3 GTX will come,” Brandstatter told the publication at the Munich motor show, hinting even more powerful R-equivalent electric variants could also be in the works.
The ID.3 GTX could debut as soon as 2022, though it won’t be quite as powerful as the ID.X concept.
That model featured a dual-motor all-electric powertrain with 245kW of power, up 10kW on the petrol-powered Golf R.
More likely for the production ID.3 GTX is the powertrain from the ID.4 GTX, which produces 220kW.
Featuring an electric motor on each axle and a 77kWh battery pack, the ID.4 GTX does the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.2 seconds and has a top speed of 180km/h and an electric range of 480km (WLTP).
That compares to figures of 8.5 seconds, 160km/h and 500km in lesser ID.4 models.
Volkswagen ID.4 GTX
Expect the smaller, lighter ID.3 GTX, therefore, to be quicker to 100km/h and potentially boast superior range.
The ID.X prototype also featured a dedicated drift mode and a kerb weight 200kg lighter than other ID.3 models, giving it a 0-100km/h time of 5.3 seconds.
The production ID.3 GTX will be part of a growing line of sporty all-electric GTX models, following the reveal of the ID.4 GTX and ID.5 GTX crossovers.
Volkswagen has committed to continuing to offer enthusiast cars in its all-electric future.
The introduction of the GTX badge follows the iconic GTI name for hot petrol-powered models, as well as the GTD name for sporty diesels and GTE for sporty plug-in hybrids.
Volkswagen ID.5 GTX Concept
Uniquely, GTX is being used on crossovers, while Volkswagen has opted not to introduce GTI, GTD and GTE variants of models like the Tiguan.
It has, however, rolled out the even sportier R designation across much of its SUV range, including the T-Roc, Tiguan and Touareg.
It’s unclear what the all-electric equivalents to R models will be called should Volkswagen introduce them.
According to reports from Autocar, Volkswagen’s R division is already working on a plan for an ID.3 R.
Pictured: the regular ID.3 
Volkswagen development chief Frank Welsch told the outlet the company was weighing a rear-wheel drive R instead of an all-wheel drive, GTX-badged model, though he noted the ID.3 can accommodate a dual-motor all-wheel drive system.
Volkswagen is rapidly expanding its all-electric line-up, which is quickly becoming as far-reaching as its combustion engine line-up.
For example, the ID. Buzz will be an all-electric equivalent to the Multivan, while an upcoming ID.8 crossover will likely be sized similarly to the Touareg and Atlas.
The company is also weighing an all-electric convertible, with Brandstatter publishing images of an ID.3 Cabriolet on his LinkedIn account.
“A decision has not yet been made, but we are creating the concept,” said Brandstatter, adding that he’s driven an electric cabriolet concept and loved the experience of near-silent drop-top motoring.
With the discontinuation of the Golf Cabriolet, the brand currently offers just one drop-top: the T-Roc Cabriolet.
