VW's electric ID.R racer smashed a Nürburgring efficiency record

VW's ID.R wasn't just running laps around the Nürburgring in June to set electric performance records. The automaker has confirmed that the EV also set an efficiency record while blasting through the Nordschliefe, using 24.7kWh to complete a lap in 6 minutes and 5.34 seconds. The car was not only faster around the circuit than a Porsche 911 GT3, according to VW, but used a quarter of the energy. While that's not a figure you'd brag about to your fellow car enthusiasts, it could make a compelling case for EV racing going forward.

Part of this came through energy regeneration at the brakes. The ID.R produced 9.2 percent of the energy it needed for the lap through recovery. Even the generator providing electricity for the ID.R was eco-friendly, running on near-emissions free glycerin instead of gasoline.

As is often the case with cars like this, VW isn't just trying for bragging rights. It expects the technology from the ID.R to find its way into production models. In that light, it's a sign of things to come. While you won't be driving a road-going ID at these kinds of speeds, you won't have to feel guilty about mashing the throttle now and then.