Volkswagen has announced it will enter the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with a newly-developed electric prototype driven by three-time winner Romain Dumas.
It comes 30 years after the brand last entered the event, which takes place on June 24 this year, and it will mark its return with a brand-new electric-powered car.
“This allows us to demonstrate the efficiency of Volkswagen’s future battery and drive train technology in a competitive environment,” said Volkswagen Motorsport director Sven Smeets.
“An additional challenge lies in the fact that the race track on Pikes Peak is a normal road, where both the weather and road qasconditions are more frequently subject to change.”
Dumas, who has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice, explains that an electric car will have an advantage over vehicles powered by combustion engines in that the power remains constant throughout the whole 12-mile run.
“Vehicles fitted with combustion engines lose a significant amount of power in the thin mountain air,” he said.
“I had to live with that in my previous appearances here. I am really looking forward to being able to drive from the start at 2,862 meters to the finishing line at full power for the first time.
“I have real faith in Volkswagen Motorsport. The team is highly motivated and has already shown on many occasions that it is capable of achieving success right away on unfamiliar terrain.”
Volkswagen aims to use the event to demonstrate its electric technology, with the brand set to have over 20 all-electric road cars on sale by 2025.
Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist who is e-racing365’s Associate Editor and also European News Editor/Reporter for Sportscar365. He is a student of Politics and International Relations and is a member of the Autosport Academy. Contact Jake
David Martin-JaniakMotorsports has always been a passion for me, I've raced in Karting and now I have my own Motorsports news website, so i can help other racers convey their passion to the world!
