VW Mulls “R” Performance EV

Volkswagen AG is considering a high-performance R-badged variant of its upcoming I.D. sub-brand range of all-electric vehicles.

The one-off I.D. R Pikes Peak racecar proved the all-out performance capabilities of an electric powertrain by setting a new record for any vehicle at the annual hill climb up the grueling Colorado peak in June, notes VW motorsports boss Sven Smeets. One of the goals of the Pikes Peak model was to ditch the boring perception of EVs and convince people that they can be “very emotional,” Smeets tells Autocar.

VW aims to carry the appeal over to its new range of I.D. production models. The carmaker has announced plans to launch four I.D. models, starting in 2020 with a yet-to-be-named hatchback.

But developing a performance EV production model is more complex than boosting the output of piston-powered vehicle, Jost Capito, who heads VW’s R division, tells the British enthusiast magazine. Among the challenges are packaging issues and balancing motorsports-type performance with a battery life that meets consumer expectations.

The I.D. Crozz crossover vehicle is most likely to get the R treatment, Autocar opines. The magazine notes that the vehicle’s size and two-motor layout lend itself better to a performance package than the hatchback or Vizzion midsize sedan.