Volkswagen Motorsport is putting the final touches on the ID R ahead of the greatest challenge yet for its electric race car: breaking the Nürburgring-Nordschleife lap record for EVs.
The automaker has adopted a methodic approach to preparing for this challenge, with the ID R first winning the “Race to the Clouds” at Pikes Peak and then completing a series of tests in the wind tunnel and at racetracks in Spain and France.
During the most recent test sessions at Le Castellet and Alès in France, engineers focused on energy management software, which is critical if you want to go flat out on a challenging 20.8-kilometer (12.9-mile) racetrack like the Nordschleife.
The objective was to come up with the ideal set-up for the electric drivetrain ahead of the record attempt that will take place this summer with Romain Dumas at the wheel.
“The 2019 evolution of the race car has taken every aspect of the technology to the next level. This is also true of the electric drivetrain, which has become even more efficient ahead of the e-lap record attempt on the Nordschleife,” said François-Xavier Demaison, Volkswagen Motorsport Technical Director.
To manage energy in an effective way, the ID R uses high-performance computers that handle power output control for both electric motors and brake energy recovery (regeneration). The two electric motors in the ID R provide a total of 500 kW (680 PS/671 hp) of power to drive all four wheels. According to VW, the precise power output for both motors and the regeneration can be adjusted variably to suit any situation on the racetrack.
Officially, VW’s target at the Nürburgring is to beat the current fastest time of 6:45.90 minutes set by the 1,341hp Nio EP9 in May 2017. However, rumor has it that the automaker will also have a go at the overall lap record set by the 1,160hp Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo last year. That would be a truly sensational achievement considering the Porsche lapped the “Green Hell” in just 5:19.55 minutes.
We’ll soon see what the ID R is capable of as the racer will soon undergo its first session on the Nordschleife.
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