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For a fully-electric racing car like the Volkswagen I.D. R Pikes Peak, the weight of the battery is especially important: it is the heaviest individual component – and each increase in weight has a detrimental effect on the car’s performance. It was logical for the Volkswagen Motorsport engineers to keep the batteries as small and light as possible in the record-breaking car. In addition to the sophisticated, weight-saving lithium-ion design, they are relying on technology that is already implemented in numerous electrically-driven production models: recuperation.

In a conventionally-driven car, much of the energy generated by braking is converted into heat and is lost. In an electric car, this energy flows back into the battery packs. The I.D. R Pikes Peak itself produces part of the electrical energy required for the two engines, which generate 500 kW (680 PS). “This allowed us to reduce the dimensions of the batteries and keep the vehicle weight, with driver, well under 1,100 kilograms,” explains Piotr Wrzuszczak, Head of Research and Development Concepts at Volkswagen Motorsport.

However, the Volkswagen Motorsport engineers had not yet had any experience with recuperation. They were supported by the technical departments for e-mobility at the parent company in Wolfsburg and at the Volkswagen Preproduction Center (VSC) in Brunswick. “The cooperation with our colleagues from series development was a big help and saved us a lot of time,” says Wrzuszczak.

Golf GTI TCR touring car as development agent

To make the learning process easier, Volkswagen Motorsport first installed an electric drivetrain in a Golf GTI TCR from touring car racing. This experimental vehicle was used a mobile laboratory at the Volkswagen test site in Ehra-Lessien. The focus was on recuperation. “As we were not able to test on the original circuit at Pikes Peak, we compared the data harvested from the converted TCR race car with the data produced in the simulator at Volkswagen Motorsport. We had programmed the whole track as a model in the computer,” explains Wrzuszczak.

The simulations were used to answer an important question: what portion of the energy required during the race will be produced by the on-board systems in the I.D. R Pikes Peak? A high percentage requires large generators, while big batteries need a correspondingly lower percentage – both options mean extra weight on board. “We finally settled on a value of 20 per cent as ideal,” recalls Wrzuszczak.

Recuperation must not affect the driving experience

The engineers also worked on another challenge in the simulator and during test drives. Regardless of whether it’s a race car or a production vehicle: the driver should barely notice the recuperation process and it should not have any effect on braking. The balance between the mechanical brake and the braking effect of the electric motors, which work as generators during deceleration, is decisive.

“The interplay between recuperation and braking is controlled by the on-board computer in the I.D. R Pikes Peak,” explains Wrzuszczak. Racing cars have far more extreme objectives than production cars, and the software is programmed much more aggressively. However, the production car also has to deliver the best braking feeling for the driver, make use of coasting phases and ensure that the battery recharged effectively without surges.

“One factor to be taken into account was limiting recuperation with a fully-charged battery right after the start,” adds Wrzuszczak. Energy management towards the end of the 19.99-kilometre race was also a complex task: with a racing car that uses a combustion engine, weight concerns mean that crossing the line with a near-empty tank is ideal. “We had a different task with the I.D. R Pikes Peak,” says Wrzuszczak. “Batteries that have nearly completely discharged do not perform as well. That is why our strategy was to avoid the charge level dropping below 30 per cent, even just before the finish line.”

This plan worked perfectly at the “96th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb” on 24 June 2018: the I.D. R Pikes Peak delivered a great performance for Volkswagen driver Romain Dumas during the final kilometres leading up to the 4,302-metre summit – vital for the new track record of 7:57.148 minutes.

Recording record times on the racetrack is not the objective for the vehicles in the I.D. Family, which Volkswagen will be bringing to market from 2020. The recuperation strategy applied during the record-breaking performance of the I.D. R Pikes Peak provided plenty of data for the development of the first fully-electrically driven production cars for this brand.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

Volkswagen Retailers are today, Thursday 9 August, making available to order a new turbo diesel engine to the all-new Touareg range. The 3.0-litre V6 TDI unit has an output of 231 PS and joins the 286 PS TDI engine that the Touareg launched with in June.

Both engines are available on the new model’s three trims – the Touareg SEL, Touareg R-Line and Touareg R-Line Tech. This enhances customer choice and results in a lower starting price for the car. The all-new Touareg SEL with the new 231 PS V6 TDI engine is priced at £48,995 (RRP OTR).

The 231 PS engine delivers maximum power from 3,250 rpm to 4,750 rpm. Peak torque is 500 Nm from 1,750 rpm to 3,000 rpm and the new engine maintains the same CO₂ figure (173 g/km) and the same towing capacity (3,500 kg) as the 286 PS unit.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

The KESSY electronic locking and starting system offers you convenient and secure access to your car. The system has two components: the transmitter and the starter module. You just carry the transmitter - the starter module is built into the dashboard. Within a radius of 1.5 metres around the car rolling codes are exchanged between the key and the car and the transmitter switches the system to 'Open'. By the time you're behind the wheel the steering lock has been released and the electrical system activated. If the key has been left inside the car by mistake, the system will refuse to lock it.

Provided the driver has the key on their person while inside the car, the engine can be started simply by pressing the starter button down fully. But the car key can also be used like a conventional key to operate the central locking. When leaving the car, you simply need to press the small locking button on the door handles in order to lock the vehicle. For certain models, Keyless entry offers even more comfort and convenience for the saloon. The contactless Easy Open function uses additional sensors in the rear of the vehicle to open the luggage compartment lid simply by flicking your foot. These sensors identify the key, and the system automatically opens the luggage compartment lid.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

Electric racing car comes to iconic event in Jüchen as a double record holder
Autostadt presents I.D. R Pikes Peak along with numerous racing legends
Video: development history of the I.D. R Pikes Peak – from the idea to the record-breaking drive

From 03 to 05 August the time has come: the Volkswagen I.D. R Pikes Peak will make its debut in Germany at the 13th Classic Days at Schloss Dyck. The Autostadt in Wolfsburg will present Volkswagen’s first all-electric powered racing car at their “Passion | Pace | Performance” exhibition. With around 40 exhibits, ranging from the 1920s Bugatti to the current Volkswagen I.D. R Pikes Peak, the motorsport brand diversity of the Volkswagen Group will be presented, focussing on the past, present day and future. The 500 kW (680 PS) I.D. R Pikes Peak is the sporting forerunner of the I.D. family, the series of all-electric powered production cars that Volkswagen will be launching as of 2020.

Not least due to its successes, the I.D. R Pikes Peak impressively embodies the present and with its electric drive, the mobility of the future. Volkswagen has already set two records with the electric racing constructed in just eight months. At the 2018 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on 24 June, Romain Dumas (F) not only improved on the previous record for electric racing cars, but with a time of 7:57.148 minutes also set a new all-time record at the most famous hill climb in the world. Just three weeks later, the 40-year-old set a new electric record at the iconic Goodwood Festival of Speed in the I.D. R Pikes Peak, of 43.86 seconds – 3.48 seconds faster than the previous record set in 2013.

Visitors to the 13th Classic Days can look forward to seeing the twin-engine Golf “Pikes Peak” of 1987. The former German rally pro and European champion Jochi Kleint contested the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb for Volkswagen Motorsport in this Golf 31 years ago. At Schloss Dyck, Kleint will line up for Volkswagen Classic in the 480 kW (652 PS) Golf. In the “Racing Legends”, classic racing cars relive historic motorsport on a 2.8-kilometre circuit.

The Classic Days originated in 2006, in memory of Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips, who was killed in an accident in Monza in 1961. The 13th edition, which is expected to draw a crowd of around 40,000 spectators, is another automobile garden party and motorsport festival with more than 7,000 classic cars and 120 historic racing cars.

Article source: www.volkswagen-media-services.com

Wolfsburg / Munich, July 2018: The new T-Cross1 is on the way. With compact dimensions and an intelligent design it is at home in the city, and ready for adventures both inside and outside the urban jungle.

The T-Cross will have its official world premiere in the autumn. However Volkswagen is today providing an exclusive first look at the almost series-ready SUV. The T-Cross will further extend Volkswagen’s range of Sport Utility Vehicles with a new entry-level model. T-Cross, T-Roc, Tiguan, Tiguan Allspace and Touareg will now be the five SUV formats of the brand in Europe. The T-Cross features a charismatic design, has front-wheel drive in all versions, is functional throughout and offers a host of individual configuration options. “I am more” is the slogan for the launch of the new SUV. This reflects the philosophy behind the T-Cross: a concept of offering more than others. But without costing more.

“I am more”. The slogan is clustered in four characteristic areas: “I am practical” – more space and variability; “I am cool” – masculine design and maximum individuality; “I am intuitive“ – digital and connected; “I am safe” – one of the safest cars in its class. The most compact Volkswagen SUV has a length of 4,107 mm and a height of 1,558 mm. That makes the T-Cross larger than a Polo. At the same time, the T-Cross and Polo belong to the same segment: A0. For reference: Golf and T-Roc are in the A segment. The T-Cross and Polo are both in the class below. One segment, separated into two independent vehicle types. This separation enriches both the range of vehicles offered and the mobility types. The T-Cross is a perfect example of this – a practical and yet trendy SUV, simple to drive, and safe. Equipped with up to 18-inch wheels, the T-Cross is powered by a choice of four turbocharged engines. The petrol engines (TSI) are combined with a petrol particulate filter; they deliver 70 kW / 95 PS1, 85 kW / 115 PS1 and 110 kW / 150 PS1. The diesel engine (TDI) has a power output of 70 kW / 95 PS1.

“I am practical.” The new SUV offers a surprising amount of space inside. The modular transverse matrix, or MQB for short, is a key reason for this. This innovative platform moves the front axle forward, thereby lengthening the wheelbase, creating more space in the interior and increasing the available storage space. The latter is also variable: depending on situation, the rear bench seat can be moved forward or back as standard – for more legroom or more space in the luggage compartment (385 to 455 litres). The T-Cross’s maximum load-space volume is a class leading feature in the segment. The fold-down front passenger seat backrest offers additional flexibility. The high seating position in the T-Cross is typical of an SUV: 597 mm at the front and 652 mm at the rear; the elevated view from the T-Cross is realised via higher ground clearance, allied to the car’s seating system.

“I am cool.” T-Cross design is distinctive. The front end is conspicuously tall and incorporates a large grille with integrated LED headlights as charismatic features. The bonnet also contributes to the pronounced height. The lower part of the front end stands out with details such as fog lights with eye-catching trim surrounds. The daytime running lights are integrated in the fog light module on the T-Cross versions with H7 headlights; on models with LED headlights, the daytime running lights are located at the top of the headlight housing. At the side, a sharply cut character line divides the areas. It forms a powerful shoulder section at the rear and highlights a new Volkswagen design element there: the reflector strip running across the rear end and framed by a black panel. Two-colour dash pads and twelve exterior colours (optionally also two-tone) link the fresh style with the exceptionally spacious interior. Songs from a smartphone media library or streaming services can be optionally played via the “Beats” sound system.

“I am Intuitive.” It is too early to go into all the new technical details of the interior but one thing is clear: the T-Cross will be optionally available with a digital cockpit with a latest-generation eight-inch infotainment touchscreen and “Active Info Display” (instrumentation). The focus here is on intuitive operation. Four USB ports (two at the front, two at the rear) and wireless charging ensure optimum connectivity and sufficient power for smartphones. The optional keyless locking and starting system "Keyless Access" makes access to the T-Cross more convenient, while the also optionally available “Light Assist” main-beam control automatically ensures that the driver is always supported with main beam whenever possible.

“I am safe”. The modular transverse matrix has a positive influence on all areas of the T-Cross. Thanks to MQB, the SUV will be launched as one of the safest vehicles in its class. This is guaranteed by excellent crash properties and a particularly wide range of assist systems. Standard across the range are important safety features such as the “Front Assist” area monitoring system and the “Lane Assist” lane keeping system. Other available assist systems include the “Blind Spot Monitor” (warns about vehicles in the blind spot) with “Rear Traffic Alert” (warns about vehicles approaching from the side behind the T-Cross), “City Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Monitoring” and the “Proactive Occupant Protection System” (reacts just before an accident by closing the windows and sunroof, tensioning the seat belts and building up brake pressure, among other things).

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

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