All-electric Volkswagen smashes Pikes Peak record

Volkswagen’s I.D. R Pikes Peak has become the fastest car to complete the world-famous Pike Peak hill climb.

The specially created allelectric racer completed the 12.4-mile time trial in seven minutes 57.148 seconds – a full 16 seconds faster than the previous record.

French driver Romain Dumas claimed his fourth victory at Pikes Peak with the I.D. R run, knocking countryman Sebastian Loeb off the top spot. Dumas commented: “We exceeded even our own high expectations with that result.

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

“I still cannot believe that Volkswagen and my name are behind this incredible time.

“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. R Pikes Peak was developed specifically to take on the gruelling hill climb in America’s Rocky Mountains. The iconic route includes 156 corners as it climbs 4,720 feet.

The four-wheel-drive VW was powered by two electric motors producing a total of 670bhp and 479lb/ft of torque, giving it a 0-62mph time of just 2.25 seconds.