Volkswagen’s charge towards an all-electric future is already underway with its mainstream cars, but the firm has now revealed plans for a range of high-performance EVs that wear the R moniker. As with the current Golf R, T-Roc R and Arteon R, the future of Volkswagen’s sub-brand lies with sharper, more potent variants of the firm’s core models.
Volkswagen has already revealed faster GTX versions of the ID.4 and ID.5, but since these carry the same spirit as petrol-powered GTI models, there is space for range-topping R versions to sit above these. Like the current R line-up, these most hardcore models will be developed on the track, and Volkswagen will draw from its record-breaking ID.R hill climb racer to engineer the new cars.
By 2030 the R range will be fully electric, which could potentially include an R-badged version of the ID.3. At last year’s Munich Motor Show, former Volkswagen brand CEO Ralf Brandstätter confirmed to Auto Express that an ID.3 GTX is under development, but an even hotter version could arrive as an all-electric equivalent to the current Golf R.
The MEB platform that underpins Volkswagen’s EV line-up currently offers up to 295bhp in the ID.4 and ID.5 GTX, but R models would likely use revised battery, motor and control electronics to push power well beyond 300bhp.
Volkswagen will use engineering learnings from the ID.R project to facilitate this, and the new offerings will be heavily digitised. For example, some will provide “virtual reality” gaming experiences, and electric R models will feature in upcoming racing game titles.
Speaking on the fully-electric future for its R-branded models, Volkswagen R boss Reinhold Ivenz said: “In order to become a fully electric brand by the end of the decade, we are already taking the necessary steps today for the forthcoming transformation. The globally successful products from Volkswagen R are part of this exciting change process and will stand in the future for sustainable electric mobility.”
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