In conjunction with its efforts to electrify its lineup of vehicles and sell no fewer than 23 zero-emissions models by 2025, Volkswagen is currently developing an electric race car that will participate in the world’s most famous mountain race: The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado.
The 20-km-long race includes 156 turns and ascends a total of 1,440 metres. Volkswagen’s goal is to beat the existing record for electric cars (8m 56s), a standard set last year by Rhys Millen at the wheel of an eO PP100 prototype.
"The Pikes Peak hill climb is one of the world's most renowned car races. It poses an enormous challenge and is therefore excellently suited to proving the capabilities of upcoming technologies. Our electric race car will be equipped with innovative battery and drive technology. The extreme stress test on Pikes Peak will give us important findings that will benefit future development, and it will showcase our products and their technologies."
- Frank Welsch, Member of the Board responsible for Development at Volkswagen AG
The last time Volkswagen took part in the Pikes Peak mountain race was back in 1987, when it entered a twin-engine Golf; sadly for VW, the car just missed making the finish line. Revenge for the automaker is planned for June 24, 2018. Stay tuned!