Volkswagen reveals electric ID R race car set to compete at 2018 Pikes Peak hill climb

VW is hoping to break the Pikes Peak EV record with its ID R, driven by three-time ‘Race to the Clouds’ winner Romain Dumas

Volkswagen has revealed images of an electric racing car due to compete at the 2018 Pikes Peak hill climb in Colorado. Called the ID R Pikes Peak, it will be driven by Romain Dumas, a three time Pikes Peak winner and the man tasked by VW to break the electric-vehicle hill-climb record at the event.

Despite its LMP1-like shape, the ID R features many of the design cues seen in other ID products, such as the full-width lighting and sloping C-pillar. These design elements will start being seen on the roads at the end of 2019, when VW’s first ID electric car reaches production.

 

We know little about the ID R in terms of mechanicals, aside from that it’s all-electric, although you can expect the utilisation of all-wheel drive to give it the best shot of success. Currently, the record for an electric vehicle stands at 8min 57.118sec, set by Rhys Millen in an eO PP100 – a car that put out just shy of 1600bhp.

But VW’s effort at Pikes Peak hill climb is also for a slightly more philosophical reason, as this will not be the first time VW has entered the event with a factory-supported race car. In 1987, the company contested a 652bhp twin-engined Golf, which narrowly missed out on an overall win. Of the new attempt, VW motorsport director Sven Smeets said, ‘It is about time we settled the score,’ rationalising the amount of effort that the firm has put into this exercise. 

The bad press generated by dieselgate prompted VW to drop nearly all forms of motorsport to pursue a new, cleaner electric car agenda. As that agenda comes closer to fruition, the ID badge should gain a worthy bit of kudos if Volkswagen does indeed succeed in breaking through that dusty ceiling.

This article originally appeared at evo.co.uk

Copyright © evo UK, Dennis Publishing