VW Announces Top-Performing Electric ID R Sports Car
The Volkswagen ID R prototype set a lap record for electric cars on the Nürburgring race track in summer 2019. So the news that Volkswagen is planning to release a limited range of all-electric ID R sports cars is unsurprising. While Volkswagen hasn’t officially announced this project, sources say it will go into production within the next five years and will rival some of the biggest electric vehicles already gearing up to take the electric racing world by storm.
The ID R revealed
Those in the know say that the new ID R will adopt the same modular electric drive matrix (MEB) that Volkswagen’s entire ID range currently utilizes. There are four key concepts to the MEB: greater space, range, comfort, and convenience. Volkswagen says that when designing the MEB they “rethought electric mobility from the ground up”, and the end result is a vehicle that eliminates unnecessary components and instead provides a solid, dynamic base. During production, it’s even possible for the electric motor to be front or rear-mounted, which means the new ID R and future MEB-based creations could be a front, rear, or four-wheel drive.
The new ID R will, however, bring something different to the racetrack as it will feature an all-new performance-based battery. This is certainly plausible, considering the brand’s Motorsport Director has previously revealed that the same team responsible for the ID R prototype has started work on the batteries for performance road cars. Meanwhile, the head of Volkswagen’s performance car division has confirmed that Volkswagen takes a different approach when building batteries for sports cars and that they use different types of cells so that their sports vehicles give only the best performance.
Closest rivals
Crowned 2019’s ‘Electric Racing Car of the Year’, the ID R has already proven it deserves a place on racetracks across the world. The prototype has an average speed of 127 mph and this is unlikely to change significantly when the new model goes into production. Experts are already excited for the ID R’s official launch and say that it will rival the Tesla 2020 2nd Gen, which has a top speed exceeding 250 mph, and the electric Audi TT, which is set to replace all fuel-powered TTs over the next few years. As a result, electric racing drivers will soon have several different cars on the market to consider when choosing their next racing vehicle. All of which will have different specs and price points.
ID R’s racing future
Sources say that the ID R will be more powerful than Volkswagen’s latest creation – the ID 4: it will be an all-wheel-drive due to each axle having its own motor. This will undoubtedly secure its place as a sports car to be reckoned with as it will have a higher top speed than the ID 4, which is cited to be 112 mph. Plus, the prototype has already proven itself on racetracks, as was demonstrated in 2018 at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb where it beat the course record by 15 seconds. The ID R also made a name for itself after breaking the track records at both Goodwood and Tianmen Mountain. But Volkswagen isn’t stopping there, as they’ve already pledged to take the current ID R to Sonoma Raceway in California, and they’re also hoping to improve their lap time at Goodwood’s circuit. There is, therefore, little doubt that when the revamped ID R is launched that it will be bigger and better than any sports vehicle Volkswagen has ever created.
Electric motor racing certainly looks a whole lot more exciting now that Volkswagen is planning to jump in with a powerful new sports vehicle. Here’s hoping that the rumors are true and that the brand unveils this vehicle sooner rather than later.
