- The ID. R's primary aim is to defeat the current Nurburgring elelctric record
- VW will make the attempt in January 2020
Volkswagen has just unveiled its latest Nurburgring lap record contender, the new ID. R. The racing flagship of the future fully electric product family from Volkswagen is to set a new lap record for electric vehicles on the 20.8 km Nordschleife. VW has evolved the car radically in a bid to break the 6:45.90 min barrier. Today on 25th April 2019, the ID R will be driving its first laps around the famed 'Ring.
The 680PS electric drive of the ID. R has been adapted to the world-unique track characteristics of the Nordschleife. Two lithium-ion battery blocks serve as energy storage on board the ID. R, which were constructed with expertise from Volkswagen’s production development and whose structure is comparable to the technology that is to be used in the future production vehicles from the ID. family.
The Aerodynamics have also recieved a string of changes as compared to last year with the focus now being top speed. The ID. R will hit average speeds of 180 kmph with top speeds being in the region of 270 kmph. VW have devoloped a completely new aerodynamic package with DRS (Drag Reduction System), known from Formula 1, as well as optimised the energy management, which controls the power output of the two electric motors and energy recovery under braking.
Romain Dumas will return to the cockpit for the lap-record attempt. Dumas, a four-time winner at the Nurburgring who was also behind the wheel of the ID R for the Pikes Peak record time. The time to beat is 6:45.9 for the electric-car lap record. Chinese automaker Nio currently holds the title with its EP9 track-only supercar.
