VW EV Sets Goodwood Hill Climb Record

Volkswagen AG’s ID.R electric race car set a track record last weekend at England’s Goodwood Festival of Speed’s hill climb, taking just 39.9 seconds to cover the 1.9-km (1.2-mile) course.

The ID.R, piloted by Romain Dumas, shaved 1.7 seconds off the previous record that was set 20 years ago by a piston-powered, 770-hp McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13 Formula One car. F1 cars are no longer allowed to compete on the event’s narrow track because of safety concerns.

VW has achieved several other records with the ID.R in the past year. Last month, the car raced to an EV-best time at Germany’s legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit. The ID.R also holds the record for the annual Pikes Peak hill climb in Colorado.

Powered by a pair of electric motors, the ID.3 generates 670 hp. For the Goodwood run, the car was fitted with a smaller battery to help reduce weight. Other changes from the Nurburgring and Pikes Peak records include customized tires (“softer” versions of Bridgestone’s stock Potenza slicks) and eliminating the car’s drag reduction system.

There are no plans for a production variant of the ID.R. Watch a video of the Goodwood record run HERE.