The I.D. R was Volkswagen's first electric racing car, developed under the I.D. Project banner and positioned within the company's R performance sub-brand. Its creation came in the aftermath of the Volkswagen emissions scandal of 2015, which had led the company to withdraw from major combustion-engine motorsport programmes including the World Rally Championship, the Dakar Rally, and its involvement at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Pikes Peak programme was an opportunity to demonstrate electric powertrain technology in a high-profile competitive context.
Before the 2018 race, Volkswagen's stated internal target was to beat the existing electric car record of 8:57.118, set in 2016 by Rhys Millen driving the Drive eO PP100. Breaking Loeb's outright record of 8:13.878 was considered an ambitious stretch goal.
The I.D. R used two electric motors, one at each axle, producing a combined output of 507 kilowatts — equivalent to 689 metric horsepower — and 649 Newton-metres of torque. The car weighed under 1,100 kilograms and could accelerate from standstill to 60 miles per hour in 2.25 seconds. It carried a single 45-kilowatt-hour battery pack. The chassis was co-developed with Norma, a French manufacturer specialising in sports prototypes and hillclimb machinery. Average speed across the run was 150.9 kilometres per hour, with a peak of 218 kilometres per hour recorded through the speed trap.
Romain Dumas completed the 12.42-mile, 156-turn course in 7 minutes and 57.148 seconds on 24 June 2018, shattering both the electric vehicle record and the outright course record in a single run. The time represented the first sub-eight-minute run in the event's 102-year history. The result eclipsed Loeb's 2013 mark by approximately 16.7 seconds, itself a margin that had seemed almost inconceivable given the scale of Loeb's own 2013 improvement over the previous record. In 2018, the Dewar Trophy was awarded to Integral Powertrain, the provider of the electric motors used in the I.D. R.
Following the Pikes Peak success, the I.D. R continued to accumulate electric vehicle records on other courses. On 3 June 2019 it broke the electric vehicle lap record at the Nürburgring with a time of 6:05.336, reaching speeds of 273 kilometres per hour and cornering at up to 3.49 g, surpassing the previous benchmark held by the NIO EP9. In 2019 it also set a new record at the Goodwood Festival of Speed Hillclimb with a time of 39.90 seconds, and in September 2019 Dumas drove it to a benchmark of 7:38.585 on the Tianmen Mountain road in China.
The 7:57.148 at Pikes Peak established the I.D. R as the reference benchmark for electric motorsport performance and helped reframe the public perception of electric vehicle capability. The car appeared on television in a Top Gear episode pitting it against a McLaren 720S. It was also incorporated into video games including RaceRoom Racing Experience, Forza Horizon 4, Real Racing 3, and Gran Turismo 7. Volkswagen subsequently announced plans for a second-generation I.D. R Evo intended to continue record attempts at other venues, though the company later indicated it would step back from motorsport for its flagship brand while continuing to support racing through its premium sub-brands.