THE last electric version of the Volkswagen Golf has rolled off the line as the German car maker gears up to produce more examples of its new ID.3 EV.

More than 145,000 e-Golfs have been produced since its launch in 2014 and the last one came off the line at VW's factory in Dresden where some 50,000 have been made.

Danny Auerswald, head of plant at the factory, said: "The end of the e-Golf is also the start of the final preparations for the ID.3. In just a few weeks, we will be opening the next chapter."

The ID.3 is the first vehicle to be based on Volkswagen's Modular Electric Drive Kit.

The platform was developed specifically for e-cars and production is due to begin at Dresden towards the end of January.

Volkswagen is already building the ID.3 at its Zwickau factory in Germany where more than 28,000 have been produced since its launch in September.

The basic version of the ID.3 is expected to cost less than £30,000 excluding Government grants and is due on sale early in 2021.