VW Sets EV ’Ring Record

Volkswagen AG’s ID.R race car has become the fastest electric vehicle and second-fastest car of any type to navigate Germany’s legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit.

Driver Romain Dumas took six minutes and five seconds—averaging nearly 129 mph—to lap the 12.9-mile course. His time shattered the previous EV record of six minutes and 45 seconds set in 2017 by China’s NextEV Inc.’s Nio EP9 supercar.

The track’s overall record of five minutes and 20 seconds was achieved last summer by Porsche’s 919 Evo hybrid-electric race car, which is based on the company’s 919 Hybrid that won three straight 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance races. Porsche also holds the record for a production car with its 911 GT2 RS model that maneuvered through the course’s 73 turns in six minutes and 40 seconds last year.

Last year, the ID.R established a new overall record at the annual Pikes Peak hill climb in Colorado. The car also earned the best time for an EV at England’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Powered by a pair of electric motors, the 2,400-lb ID.R generates 670 hp and and 479 lb-ft of torque. The car can sprint from zero to 60 mph in 2.2 seconds on its way to a top speed of 168 mph.