![\"Volkswagen](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/volkswagens-id-2-r-the-future-of-high-performance-electric-hot-hatches.jpg\" "\\"Volkswagen")
<\/a><\/p>\nFour-wheel drive hot hatch will use groundbreaking tech to pave the way for future R cars<\/p>\n
Volkswagen is exploring plans for a high-performance ID 2<\/a> R, which could be its first model to use in-wheel motors as part of a new four-wheel drive system.<\/p>\n The hot hatchback is claimed to be part of a broader engineering initiative, led by the R performance brand, to explore the potency and torque-vectoring potential of hub motors. If given the green light, the ID 2 R would sit above the already\u00a0announced ID 2 GTI<\/a> \u2013 and potentially even be pitched against the mega-powered Renault 5 Turbo 3E<\/a>.<\/p>\n The drivetrain under consideration for the ID 2 R retains the front-mounted electric motor and power electronics of its GTI sibling but adds two independently controlled electric hub motors within the rear wheels. This would provide a significant boost in performance and four-wheel drive without compromising boot space.<\/p>\n Volkswagen officials have confirmed the ID 2 will make its debut in 2026, with the heavily related ID 2 crossover<\/a> arriving in 2027.<\/p>\n Sources at the firm\u2019s Wolfsburg HQ in Germany suggest the potent R version is being developed with input from a technical\u00a0partner based in the Balkans that is believed to specialise in lightweight, high-output in-wheel motor systems. Combined with predictive torque distribution, brake-based yaw control and dynamic drive modes, the system is claimed to offer genuine hyper-hatch performance and agility without the bulk and cost of a conventional dual-motor set-up.<\/p>\n However, Autocar has also been told that it would not require expensive\u00a0modifications to the ID 2\u2019s \u2018MEB Plus\u2019 platform to accommodate a second, rear-mounted motor, should VW opt to offer the same performance from a more conventional setup instead. The smallest MEB-based car currently available with dual motors is the Skoda Elroq vRS<\/a>, which is 400mm longer than the ID 2 concept.<\/p>\n With the front-wheel-drive ID 2 GTI set to deliver as much as 286bhp, it is expected that the ID 2 R will deliver in the region of 400bhp or more from its trio of electric motors.<\/p>\n Volkswagen\u2019s R division is understood to be focusing on minimising the weight penalty, ensuring the ID 2 R remains relatively light and responsive by class standards while delivering the traction and\u00a0acceleration expected of a four-wheel-drive model \u2013 hence the experimentation with lighter in-wheel motor technology.<\/p>\n The target is to match or exceed the performance and handling of today\u2019s warmed-up GTX EVs, such as the ID 3 GTX<\/a>, but with a smaller footprint and at a more affordable price.<\/p>\n R division insiders hint that the ID 2 R could receive bespoke bodywork, chassis tuning and interior elements to distinguish it from the upcoming ID 2 GTI. Though not officially confirmed, it is seen as a spiritual successor to the 151mph Polo R WRC<\/a> hot hatch of 2012 and a showcase for affordable electric performance technology.<\/p>\n The implications for the rest of the MEB Plus line-up are equally significant. By packaging the rear drive components entirely within the back wheels, VW can extend four-wheel-drive capability to compact crossovers and SUVs without packaging compromises. That could pave the way for the ID 2 crossover to be offered as a baby off-roader, like the upcoming dual-motor Renault 4<\/a> and Fiat Grande Panda<\/a>.<\/p>\n This approach could also allow four-wheel-drive variants of future Volkswagen electric models, including the electric Golf<\/a> \u2013 based on the next-gen SSP architecture<\/a> \u2013 to retain the same boot volume, floor height and interior flexibility as the front-driven derivatives.<\/p>\n It is also claimed to help streamline platformsharing, giving Volkswagen the ability to build front-, rear- and four-wheeldrive models on a single architecture with minimal hardware divergence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":65692,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,137],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-65691","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-featured","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65691","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65691"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65691\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65692"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65691"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65691"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65691"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Volkswagen](\"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/volkswagens-id-2-r-the-future-of-high-performance-electric-hot-hatches-1.jpg\")
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