Volkswagen has revealed an all-electric race car to take on the Pikes Peak record – meet the I.D. R
8 minutes and 57.118 seconds. That’s the current electric prototype record – set by Rhys Millen in 2016 – that Volkswagen aims to beat. It’s no small feat. The “Race to the Clouds”, also known as the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, consists of 156 turns strewn over 12.42 miles. The road climbs 4,720 feet from the start line to the summit of Pikes Peak at 14,110 feet in elevation.
Volkswagen fitted the I.D. R with a serious powertrain for the job, however. The I.D. R weighs in at just under 2,500 pounds. It also has two electric motors which, together, push out 680 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. That’s enough to shove the racer from 0-60 in a claimed 2.25 seconds, but the true test will come down to how the car performs up an average 7% grade and a dozen miles of tight turns and tricky maneuvers. The I.D. R is built on the same MEB platform that will underpin altogether more down-to-earth models, like the I.D. Crozz crossover and I.D. Buzz microbus.
Romain Dumas, a professional racing driver of Pikes Peak and Le Mans championship fame, will pilot the I.D. R in this Race to the Clouds. He’s currently a factory driver for Porsche, but also won the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in 2014, 2016 and 2017. The challenge will take place June 24th, and we’ll see if Volkswagen can seize the electric car prototype record.
Check out the live reveal of the I.D. R from Alès, France below. Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more news, views, and real-world reviews!
