Volkswagen Teases ID. 2 R With In-Wheel Motors

The Volkswagen ID. 2 GTI hasn’t even left the beginning gate but and already the corporate is considering a warmer model — the ID. 2 R — with a really beautiful 395 horsepower powertrain. That’s in response to Autocar, some of the authoritative sources of stories concerning the world of vehicles.

Volkswagen ID. 2 R

The common ID.2 GTI might be supplied with a 285 hp electrical motor driving the entrance wheels. The R model will use the identical entrance drive powertrain, so the place will the additional energy come from? Two in-wheel motors — one for every rear wheel — equipped by an “in-wheel motor specialist from the Balkans,” Electrive studies. A fast Google AI search utilizing sufficient electrical energy to energy an e-bike for 10 miles or extra reveals the one in-wheel motor specialist within the Balkans is Elaphe, which is headquartered in Slovenia. In accordance with one other Google search, Slovenia is a part of the Balkan peninsular, so it appears cheap to conclude that Elaphe is the corporate Volkswagen is partnering with for the ID. 2 R.

Including an in-wheel electrical motor at every rear nook of the automobile would imply way over simply extra eyeball-squashing acceleration, though there can be loads of that. It additionally implies that with particular person digital management over every motor, the probabilities for exact cornering through torque vectoring are substantial. Skillful drivers used to do that with an informed utility of throttle, however now — due to the wonders of digital know-how — essentially the most hamfisted clod will have the ability to energy via corners like Mario Andretti — or Max Verstappen, for you youthful readers.

What actually will get the engineering sorts excited, although, is the packaging prospects of in-wheel motors. Ordinarily, including a motor and two half shafts means considerably remodeling the chassis of a automobile. The result’s much less room for folks and the stuff inside. However each automobile already has wheels on the nook. Including in-wheel motors means nothing greater than including an influence provide and a management cable. Simple peasy, with no lack of inside quantity within the passenger compartment.

Reportedly, the in-wheel motors may be added to the Volkswagen MEB Small platform with few modifications, which means that, if the corporate determined to go that route, the in-wheel motors may theoretically be added to each automobile Volkswagen builds on the MEB Plus platform and presumably the upcoming SSP platform as nicely.

That choice continues to be being evaluated and Volkswagen is hedging its bets by additionally finding out combine one other typical electrical motor into the rear of the automobile. Inevitably, the bean counters will become involved, and the ultimate choice might be primarily based extra on economics than on technical geewizardry.

Benefits & Disadvantages Of In-Wheel Motors

Plus, there are engineering constraints to be investigated. As we reported earlier this yr, in-wheel motors current some critical challenges, not the least of which is the issue of unsprung weight. For the needs of this dialogue, assume an in-wheel motor weighs 100 kilos. If you happen to add 100 kilos to the passenger compartment of a automobile, not a lot about how the automobile drives adjustments, as a result of that further weight simply provides to the overall weight of the automobile. Unsprung weight refers to how a lot the parts weigh that transfer up and down when you drive — issues like, wheels, tires, brake rotors, calipers, dampers, and the assortment of suspension parts that preserve the wheels connected to the automobile.

If extra weight will get added to these components of the automobile, now the suspension parts should be stronger, which suggests they should be heavier. What’s extra, including further weight will trigger the journey and dealing with of the automobile to deteriorate. There isn’t a free lunch on the earth of chassis dynamics, sadly. Nonetheless, if the enhancements outweigh the detriments (no pun meant), in-wheel motors could be helpful in some situations.

Elaphe was certainly one of two firms that introduced in-wheel motors to CES 2025. The opposite was Donut Labs, which claims its second-generation product weighs simply 88 lb however has staggering efficiency capabilities. It says each can blast out 630 kilowatts (845 horsepower) and 4,300 newton-meters (3,171 pound-feet) of torque. Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat! That’s virtually 3,500 tire-shredding horsepower, which must be sufficient for anybody not named Artwork Arfons.

All Hail The Sizzling Hatch!

One factor we may be positive about is the ID. 2 in all its many variations won’t ever be supplied to US drivers. The vehicles might be too small to attraction to those that need vehicles that may transport seven folks (eight or 9 can be even higher) with separate video screens and local weather controls at each seat. As we speak, nothing can clear a showroom sooner than whispering the phrase “hatchback.”

The recent hatch has an extended and illustrious custom in Europe, the place these vehicles type the premise of most rally vehicles. Cupra was a reputation initially created for the SEAT rally workforce earlier than it turned a model title in its personal proper.

Automakers love to make use of letters to market their high-performance vehicles. Z is usually used to designate fashions with sporting intentions, starting with the Datsun 240Z. S — which is related to the phrase “Sport” within the minds of many — is used so typically it has misplaced a lot of its attract. Equally, R is usually utilized by entrepreneurs so as to add to the attract of their sportier fashions. Actually, Volkswagen has an R division devoted completely to extracting essentially the most efficiency doable from its manufacturing vehicles. Chevrolet figures if Z and R are good, placing them collectively to create the ZR 1 model of the Corvette is even higher.

Insiders on the Volkswagen R division have hinted to Autocar that the ID. 2 R may obtain bespoke bodywork, chassis tuning, and inside components to differentiate it from the upcoming ID. 2 GTI. Although not formally confirmed, it’s seen as a non secular successor to the 151 mph Polo R WRC scorching hatch from Volksagen that precipitated a sensation in worldwide rally circles in 2012. Just like the SS label at Chevrolet, R on the earth of Volkswagen stands for inexpensive high-performance vehicles. Having a automobile just like the ID. 2 R would burnish Volkswagen’s luster as a pacesetter in electrical automobile know-how.

Efficiency means various things to completely different folks. For these whose thought of a great time is driving off-road, having a automobile with all-wheel drive functionality with out sacrificing inside house might be an excellent factor, as all that torque vectoring would assist deal with mud, snow, sand, or gravel surfaces removed from the closest paved roads.

Will Volkswagen be the primary producer to make in-wheel motors normal tools? The reply to that may be a particular perhaps. The ID. 2 is due in 2026, with the the GTI following a yr after that. That implies the ID. 2 R might be in showrooms in 2028.