Not only has Volkswagen’s Pikes Peak challenger won its class, it has also set a new outright record for the international hill climb.
Driving the 500kW all-electric I.D. R Pikes Peak, frenchman Romain Dumas eclipsed a field include many cars with conventional engines.
Not only did he break the previous record for electric vehicles, but also smashed Sébastien Loeb’s all-time record from 2013 — by a full 16 seconds.
Dumas’ new record of 7m 57.148s minutes is now sits at the top of the list of Pikes Peak champions, which includes such acclaimed drivers as Loeb, Walter Röhrl (D), Michèle Mouton (F), Stig Blomqvist (S), Nobuhiro Tajima (J) and also Rod Millen and son Rhys (both NZ).
“The I.D. R Pikes Peak is the sporty forerunner of Volkswagen’s I.D. family,” Member of VW’s Board of Management, Dr Frank Welsch, said.
“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 skills, 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.”
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