Volkswagen has broken the Pikes Peak record by nearly 16 seconds with its I.D.R electric car.
Romain Dumas weaved the I.D.R up the iconic Pikes Peak circuit – which comprises a 5,000 ft rise in altitude and 156 corners through Colorado’s Rocky Mountains – in a time of 7:57.15, shaving nearly 16 seconds off the time Sebastien Loeb set in 2013 with a Peugeot 208 T16.
The I.D.R managed an average speed of 90.54mph over the 12.42-mile course.
The fully electric I.D.R Pikes Peak was developed in just 250 days by Volkswagen Motorsport’s team, and was tailored specifically for this type of hillclimb.
Weighing in at under 1,100kg, it produces 671bhp, and provides phenomenal torque to propel it up the route – produced by two electric motors.
It also uses ground-breaking charging technology, as it had to be able to be charged in under 20 minutes to comply with race rules, and in case of the race being suspended.
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Romain Dumas, a former two-time Le Mans winner, said: “We exceeded even our own high expectations with that result. Since this week’s tests, we have known that it was possible to break the all-time record.
"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.”
The I.D name is used by Volkswagen for its concept electric vehicles, which preview the firm’s future electric models. Several other I.D concepts have also been shown off previously, including a crossover (I.D.Crozz) and a campervan (I.D.Buzz).
The Volkswagen Group also had another success at Pikes Beak with Bentley setting a record with its Bentayga to have the fastest SUV up the circuit.
