On June 24, Volkswagen will compete in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Its weapon of choice for internationally acclaimed Race to the Clouds is the sleek VW I.D. R Pikes Peak. Earlier this week Volkswagen revealed full technical info on its first full-electric racecar.

High-tech wonder

It has two interlinked, integrated lithium-ion battery blocks on board. They feed energy to two separate high-performance electric engines, one each for the front and rear axles. Total system power is rated at 500 kW.

Interestingly, the I.D. R Pikes Peak generates up to 20 per cent of the electrical energy required for the 19,99-kilometre run. The engines, which otherwise drive the car, function as generators under braking. This provides the added benefit of providing extra braking.

You can see the car’s first test drive by clicking here.

The accelerator and brake pedal are completely digital with e-gas and brake-by-wire, a braking system with an electronic signal transmission. Torque vectoring will help give the car an ideal balance during its runs up the mountainside.

Catch our exclusive video interview with the Simola Hill Climb winner by clicking here.

Livery revealed

The ID R Pikes Peak livery was revealed earlier this week. The number 94 was chosen as it symbolises the letters ‘I’ and ‘D’ – the ninth and fourth letters in the alphabet. A light grey hue was chosen for the exterior paint.

A busy man

The man tasked with driving the new VW racer is Romain Dumas. The 40-year-old Frenchman will race at Le Mans this coming weekend in a Porsche 911 RSR. If this funny video is anything to go by Dumas misses the sound of an internal combustion engine.

He will then jet off to Colorado to race up Pikes Peak in pursuit of a new record in the category for electric vehicles. The current record stands at 8 min 57,118 sec.

“We are breaking new ground with the I.D. R Pikes Peak: This is the first time ever that Volkswagen will be competing in a race with a fully-electric car. Alongside the elaborate aerodynamic concept and the special requirements for the sports ar chassis, the development of the electric drivetrain was the greatest challenge,” explains François-Xavier Demaison, Technical Director at Volkswagen Motorsport.