It's reasonable to presume that the VW entry will smash the record for a production-grade electric car, which Faraday Future set at 11 minutes and 25 seconds with a prototype FF91 sedan.

VW isn't shy about why it's fielding the EV at the Pikes Peak race on June 24th: it's about showing "what is possible in motorsport with an electric drivetrain." It's also a big opportunity to advertise VW's shift to electric cars, for that matter. The concern is whether or not anything learned from creating the I.D. R Pikes Peak will translate to everyday designs. It could help VW keep its cars at maximum performance, but there's a good possibility this is more symbolic than practical.