7m 57.148s – Volkswagen I.D. R Pikes Peak Sets a New Overall Record! Volkswagen and the I.D. R Pikes Peak have made history at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Romain Dumas (France) drove the 500kW/680PS I.D. R Pikes Peak, beating competitors who used conventional drivetrains. He not only broke the previous record for electric vehicles, but also Sébastien Loeb’s (France) all-time record by 16 seconds (2013). Dumas’ new record, 7 minutes 57.148 seconds, is now the fastest record ever in Pikes Peak’s history.
PIKES PEAK TRIUMPHS
Known as “The Race to the Clouds”, it covers 12.42 miles, involves 156 turns, climbs 4,720 feet from the start at Mile 7 on Pikes Peak Highway, then finishes at 14,110 feet, on grades averaging 7.2%. Pikes Peak International Hill Climb has been held96 times since 1916. After several practice sessions, each contender only had one a tempt for the final time attack. And it was another successful one this year for Romain Dumas: he claimed his fourth overall victory at the iconic Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with the I.D. R Pikes Peak.
Romain expressed his enthusiasm about his victory: “Awesome! We exceeded even our own high expectations with that result. Since this week’s tests, we have known that it was possible to break the all-time record. For it to come off, everything had to come together perfectly – from the technology to the driver. And the weather had to play ball too. 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 team did an indescribably meticulous, yet at the same time relaxed, job. Not only did we get the desired result, but the team spirit was also spot on. I am incredibly proud to have been a part of it.”
Volkswagen has created an extraordinary racing car, the I.D. R Pikes Peak, specifically designed to the demands of the most famous hill climb. Battery cells included, the I.D. R Pikes Peak weighs less than 2500 pounds.
The I.D. R Pikes Peak’s E-engines generates 500 kilowatts (680 PS), a feat achieved in collaboration with partner Integral e-drive.
