To show just how fast the car went up the famous hill climb, Volkswagen has released helicopter footage of the I.D. R’s record-breaking attempt at Pikes Peak.
The all-electric race car driven by Frenchman Romain Dumas set the fastest time ever on the American mountain, with its effort of 7:57.148 beating the previous record – set by Sébastien Loeb in 2013 – by 16 seconds.
Following this run, the I.D. R beat all previous times set by conventionally-powered cars – just 250 days after the project was publically announced.
Attempting to follow the car as much as possible, there were moments where the helicopter was unable to keep up with the I.D. R, as it twisted and turned up the mountain pass.
You can also see the changing environment of the hill climb as the car makes progress – with the run starting in thick alpine forests, before breaking onto the open and barren mountain top with patches of fog.
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Following the run, Dr Frank Welsch, Volkswagen head of technical development for passenger cars, said: “The I.D. R Pikes Peak is the sporty forerunner of Volkswagen’s fully-electric I.D. family. Today, we saw what this technology is capable of.
“Every Volkswagen employee can be extremely proud of today’s result. I congratulate the team from the bottom of my heart. With a combination of outstanding engineering skill, passion and commitment, the team has managed to create a fantastic racing car in just eight months. The Volkswagen I.D. R Pikes Peak has now set the fastest time in the history of this hill climb, which spans more than 100 years – that speaks volumes for electric mobility.”
The I.D. R is the first road-going model from the I.D. all-electric family that is soon to be joined by the I.D. hatchback – with three other models expected in the next five years.
