Volkswagen has started testing the I.D. R in the run
up to the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 24. The German marque
recently headed to the mountain in Colorado and is working on perfecting the
suspension and tire setup for the 12.42 mile (20 km) hillclimb course. Work is
also being done to tune the powertrain’s energy management system.
Powering the VW I.D. R Pikes Peak are two electric
motors producing a combined 680 hp, 480 lb-ft of torque and driving all four
wheels. Thanks to the vehicle’s lightweight construction, it weighs just 1100
kg and can rocket to 100 km/h in a blistering 2.25 seconds.
Extensive work has also been done on the race car’s
aerodynamics. As a result, it features a prominent front splitter, wide side
skirts, and an absolutely huge rear wing. Many of the external parts have been
3D printed.
Volkswagen aims to topple the existing electric car
record of 8:57.118 with the I.D. R. Sebastien Loeb holds on to the outright
record with an 8:13.878 in the Peugeot 208 T16.
