On a track in Ales, France, Volkswagen unveiled their ID R Pikes Peak electric sports car, which with French driver Romain Dumas behind the wheel will attempt to break the electric car record at the legendary Pikes Peak race in Colorado Springs in the US on June 24.

The car has been built just for the record-breaking attempt.

VW claims the ID R Pikes Peak weighs less than 1100kg with Dumas inside, has a top speed of 149mph and can go from 0-62mph time of 2.25sec, which they say is quicker acceleration than a Formula One car.

VW is aiming to break the electric car record at Pikes Peak, which was set in 2016 by Rhys Millen in a Drive eO PP100 in a time of 8min 57.118sec .

Sebastien Loeb set the outright Pikes Peak record in 2013 with a time of 8min 13.878sec. Loeb was driving a Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak.

With 156 bends over 12.42 miles, Pikes Peak, with a start 9,390ft above sea level rising to 4,720ft to the finish at a height of 14,110ft, is considered among the most challenging hill climbs going.