NURBURGRING ... ELECTRIC TO THE MAX

The Challenge..20.83 Kms in under 6:45.90 minutes

Romain Dumas in the VW ID.R at the Nurburgring.

Only a day after the launch of the new VW ID.R racecar that has been rebuilt specifically to take on the challenges of the 20.83 kilometre VW is testing two chassis alternatives to find which works best on this 500 kW (680 PS) race car.

It is one of the final elements of testing prior to the attempt to set a new lap record for electric cars on the highly evocative track located in the Eifel not so far from Koblenz. Watch the video of the ID.R being put through its paces:

Video: "The first test of the ID. R on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife”

Computers coordinate power output and regeneration

High-performance computers are responsible for power output on board the ID. R. Their task: optimised power output control for both electric motors and brake energy recovery (regeneration). The objective: To manage the energy stored in the batteries so efficiently that driver Romain Dumas can go on the attack from the start to the finish line on the 20.832 kilometres of the Nürburgring-Nordschleife and beat the current fastest time (6:45.90 minutes). The two electric motors in the ID. R provide 500 kW (680 PS) of power to drive all four wheels. The rear axle battery performs at a slightly higher level, to allow the front axle and the front tyres’ energy reserves to be used for steering. This avoids any front axle slide (understeer) that would be detrimental to the performance of the race car and helps to achieve ideal driving behaviour. The precise power output for both engines and the regeneration can be adjusted variably to suit any situation on the racetrack. In a way, regeneration also has the side effect of increasing brake efficiency. The computer takes over the coordination between energy recovery by the motors and the mechanical brake. This is made possible by electronically transferring the movements of the accelerator (drive-by-wire) and the brake pedal (brake-by-wire).