Volkswagen ID.3 Productontwikkeling
On Tuesday, November 3, 2020, we took an exciting step into a new direction for our R&D! This was the day we scanned a car ourselves for the very first time to develop products. And let me tell you, it was a bumpy start!
Voorbereidingen
Finding the right partners to work with can be one of the toughest challenges for any company. Since the scan needed to be extremely detailed for our parts to fit perfectly, we invested a lot of time searching for a 3D scanning company that could meet our high standards.
During this time, we also engaged with owners of the new Volkswagen ID.3, gathering their experiences and asking for ideas on potential products. After considering various suggestions, we compiled a list of handy accessories that would benefit every car owner.
Eventually, we connected with a friendly individual who had just received his new ID.3 First Edition and was more than willing to let us conduct the scan on his newly acquired EV.
De scan
The day of the scan had finally arrived, and Yuan and I were buzzing with excitement—after today, we could officially call ourselves “product developers”! The scan was scheduled in Apeldoorn, about a two-hour drive from our company, so we made sure to get there early to load our gear into his Model 3 and hit the road.
Upon arrival, we were blown away by the owner’s beautiful property. He had built his own house and garden, and it was truly impressive. We also met our scanner for the first time, who had some fascinating stories about the diverse things he had previously scanned—from bones and people to the exhausts of Lamborghinis! This made us feel even more confident that we had made the right choice. With everything set, we positioned the ID.3 and kicked off the scanning process!
After finishing the scan, our third-party scanner needed some time to render and finalize the files. A few weeks later, we eagerly received the files, only to hear that our manufacturing department had never seen scans of such poor quality. Unfortunately, we couldn’t use them at all. It was back to square one—we had to find a new scanning solution!
De tweede scan
After some searching, we finally found a scanning company called “Geopoints.” We decided to try their services, and luckily, a lease company generously lent us their ID.3 for the scan. We brought the car to our workshop and got right to work!
After just a few days, we received the files from Geopoints. Finally, we had found a quality scanner! These files were excellent, allowing us to immediately kick off the product development process with our manufacturing department.
Engineering en prototypes
So, we returned to our friends at the lease company to fit our first prototypes from the scan. The production went surprisingly well—all our ABS products fit perfectly on the first try! The middle console cover and mud flaps required no changes at all. The floormats were almost perfect, needing just a slight adjustment at the fixing points. This meant the ABS products were ready to move into the final stage of production!
Production
With our prototypes tested, it was time to put the first products into production. For the middle console covers, we chose matte black, matte white, matte carbon, and gloss carbon finishes. As for the mud flaps, we left them unpainted, allowing customers to choose their preferred color. A few weeks later, and not to brag, but the results were fantastic for our very first products!
Product update 28 okt. 2021
We’re excited to announce that the following products are nearly ready for production and will be available on our website in the next 4-6 weeks! Stay tuned!
Final
Our initial experience as EV aftermarket developers had its ups and downs, but ultimately turned into a fun journey filled with valuable lessons. We’re incredibly proud to present our first line of products, and this is just the beginning! We’ve scanned several other cars over the past months, and you can look forward to learning more about the new EV accessories we’re developing in our upcoming blog posts. Stay tuned!
Suggesties of productideeën als ID.3-eigenaar?
We’re always eager to hear your ideas for improving your driving experience! Please share your suggestions for products you’d like to see developed in the future. Your feedback is essential to us, and nothing is too outlandish—if you want it, we can create it! Thank you for being part of our journey!
Disclaimer
EVlution B.V. (eigenaar van Torque Alliance en PLUGEAR) in Nederland is de ENIGE partij die dit product heeft ontwikkeld. Vergelijkbare producten die verkocht worden onder een ander handelsmerk of platform zijn niet origineel en de kwaliteit wordt niet gegarandeerd. We stellen je steun voor onze inspanningen en intellectuele eigendom op prijs, zodat we meer EV-gadgets naar Europa kunnen blijven brengen.
