Volkswagen pushes EV frontier with Pikes Peak record and bidirectional charging launch

In June 2018 Volkswagen entered the historic Pikes Peak hill‑climb in Colorado with its prototype ID.R Pikes Peak, a fully electric race car built to showcase the future of the ID family. Driven by three‑time winner Romain Dumas, the car aimed to set a new record for pure‑electric vehicles on the 19.99‑km course that climbs to 4,302 m.

In 2026 the German government amended the Energy Industry Act, ending the double‑charging fee that had hindered vehicle‑to‑grid (V2G) operations. This regulatory change cleared the way for Volkswagen and its charging subsidiary Elli to introduce bidirectional charging to the mass market in Germany at the end of the year. The rollout will target ID models equipped with at least a 77 kWh battery and the new Elli BiDi Wallbox, with plans to expand to France and the United Kingdom.

Both milestones illustrate Volkswagen’s strategy to integrate advanced electric powertrain and grid‑interaction technologies into its product line.