Volkswagen Motorsport is preparing its ID R for the Tianmen Mountain ascent. The German manufacturer is hoping that its EV racer can set a record for the time taken to reach the summit of the 1,519m mountain in the south of China. The fully electric ID R will drive an 11km road to the summit, via 99 corners. The track itself presents unique challenge as until now no such record has been attempted.
For the first time in the history of Volkswagen Motorsport, the logistics for the event in China also took place using low-emission electrical methods. The ID R was transported along the Silk Road to the foot of Mount Tianmen via freight train, traveling around 11,000km (6,835 miles) in three weeks. With the zero-emission drive, the VW brand is supporting an extensive electromobility offensive in China.
“China will take on a pioneering role in terms of sustainable mobility, digitization and new mobility services,” said Dr Stephan Wöllenstein, member of the board of management of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand and CEO of Volkswagen Brand China. “Come 2020, the Volkswagen brand will have a portfolio of 10 NEV models on the market in China, followed by the roll-out of the fully electric ID product family, based on the MEB platform.”
