Volkswagen: E-racer instead of combustion engine
ID.R AS A LEADER Volkswagen is focusing its motorsport strategy on electromobility. The clear focus on purely electric racing vehicles is followed by the factory's departure from the combustion engine. The ID.R electric sports car will continue to play the role of technological pioneer in the future. With its records at the Pikes Peak hill climb in the USA, on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, at the Festival of Speed in [...]
The ID.R electric sports car will continue to play the role of technological pioneer in the future. With its records at the Pikes Peak hill climb in the USA, on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, at the Festival of Speed in Goodwood and on Mount Tianmen in China, it has achieved important milestones for electromobility.
New motorsport concepts
In addition, Volkswagen Motorsport will use the modular e-drive system (MEB), on which numerous electric production vehicles will be based, to develop new motorsport concepts for the ID. family.
Dr. Frank Welsch, Board Member for Technical Development: "Volkswagen Motorsport has broken new ground with the ID.R and demonstrated the enormous potential of electric drive worldwide with its records. Now the time has come for the next step towards the future. Volkswagen is also making a firm commitment to e-mobility in motorsport and is saying goodbye to the combustion engine at the factory. Alongside the ID.R as a technology pioneer, the MEB will in future represent the second near-production pillar in Volkswagen's motorsport program."
Customers should also drive electrically
In the future, the customer sports program will also be electrified. In the first step, different disciplines, platforms and vehicle types will be investigated and evaluated.
In parallel, production of the Golf GTI TCR for the racetrack will come to an end at the end of 2019. A successor based on the new generation will not be offered. Customer service and spare parts supply will be ensured in the long term.
Only Rally Polo still in production
The Polo GTI R5 remains an integral part of the customer sports portfolio and will continue to be produced for customer teams. Customer support, spare parts supply and the competitiveness of the Polo will be ensured from the Hanover site. Factory competition with the Polo GTI R5 will be discontinued.
