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.