Volkswagen I.D. R sets a new all-time Pikes Peak record

The electric Volkswagen I.D. R racer set a new overall Pikes Peak International Hill Climb record Sunday, racing up to 14,115 feet in a stunningly quick 7:57.148. The previous overall record of 8:13.878 was set in 2013 by Sébastien Loeb in a Peugeot 208 T16.

Volkswagen wasn't openly targeting Loeb's record with the I.D. R, instead talking about the 8:57.118 all-electric mantle held by Rhys Millen in the lead-up to the event, but the combination of an electric powertrain, light weight and plentiful downforce were enough to send the I.D. R straight to the top.

Dumas averaged 90.538mph on the 156-turn course in the ID R Pikes Peak, which produces around 671bhp from two electric motors. The machine had been built for the project in just seven months.

Volkswagen I.D R in action

Romain Dumas, Volkswagen I.D. R Pikes Peak Challenger driver, said:

"We exceeded even our own high expectations. Since last week’s tests, we have known that it was possible to break the all-time record. For it to come off, everything had to come together perfectly – from the technology to the driver. And the weather had to play ball too.”

“That everything ran so smoothly is an incredible feeling, and the new record on Pikes Peak is the icing on the cake.”

“The I.D. R Pikes Peak is the most impressive car I have ever driven in competition. The electric drivetrain means that many things are different and I learned a lot during the project.”

More than just a racing car!

Breaking the record is a major milestone for a full electric motorsport programme, representing the first time an EV has proven quick than a combustion engines machine on a major event.

Volkswagen Motorsport boss Sven Smeets said the record proved the capability of electric car technology.

“This project was a demonstration of what the ID family will be, and what R will be in an electric future,” he said. “We can bring some of this to electric road cars.”

Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

A range of vehicle types competed in the Pikes Peak, and the hill climb that has been taking place since 1916. Volkswagen competed in the “Unlimited” category, which means that the engineers can do almost anything they want.

François-Xavier Demaison, Volkswagen Motorsport Technical Director, says

“We knew we had the speed, but when we had some technical issues, things like how we were managing the battery, we learned a lot in the last few days.

“The magic of this race is that you don’t know what you get from the mountain, but today it was OK. For sure, Romain took some risks to make this time – it’s all out. This is a fantastic result.

"It was not possible for us to say when we arrived that we had come here to beat the time of Peugeot – but I’m glad we did!”