Desert racing is a grueling bloodsport fueled by raucous internal combustion engines—that is, with the rare but growing exception of offroad EVs. In stark contrast to the thunderous gas-powered trucks that have typified competitions like the Baja 1000, a new breed of quiet and quick battery-powered racers is beginning to challenge everything fans have come to associate with offroad racing.
To illustrate how far their desert racers have come, Volkswagen assembled a test drive of three remarkably different vehicles: A Baja 1000-spec 1969 Beetle and two competition-prepped ID.4 EVs, both of which competed earlier this year in the 2021 Rebelle Rally. Think of it as a snapshot of VW’s past and present in offroad racing, framed by the epic backdrop of the California desert.
Reverse Engineering
While the transfer of technology usually trickles from racing into street-legal passenger cars, the emergence of EV racers has proven that the flow of innovation can also work in reverse. Case in point: Rather than creating a pricey, one-off competition vehicle from scratch, Volkswagen elected to upgrade their roadgoing ID.4 electric crossover for the rigors of offroad battle.
The two ID.4s in question represent retrofitted solutions rather than the purpose-built prototypes that typically exemplify the cream of the engineering crop. VW’s entry in the 2021 NORRA 1000 started life as an off-the-shelf ID.4 that underwent offroad mods by Rhys Millen Racing.
Millen’s team stripped the First Edition model’s interior and equipped it with a roll cage, racing seats and supplemental screens, including a battery temperature readout, critical data for a competition EV. In addition, the suspension is upgraded to rally-style coilover struts with tubular control arms up front and boxed lower rear links. Because offroad hazards threaten to undermine key mechanical components, the radiator is raised several inches in order to improve approach angles, and three eighth-inch steel skid plates are employed to help protect the undercarriage. Downsized 18-inch diameter wheels are used to accommodate taller, 70-series profile tires. A two-inch body lift adds crucial clearance.
This particular ID.4 competed in the 2021 NORRA 1000 as the first EV in the race’s history and was campaigned by racing veterans Emme Hall and Tanner Foust. In case you’re wondering, a biofuel-powered generator was used to charge up the truck between stages.
The ID.4 AWD Pro leveraged for the Rebelle Rally was similar in intent, albeit with slightly less intensive modifications. While this ID.4 features reinforced suspension arms, the dampers and springs are stock. Kevlar underbody skid plates offer protection against harsh terrain, and the radiator is repositioned to avoid obstacles as the Yokohama Geolander A/T tires cling to the rough stuff below. Because Rebelle rules ban modern GPS guidance, the ID.4’s navigation system was disconnected and replaced with a Terra Trip digital odometer. Additional accommodations for the competition include a Thule roof rack, a fire suppression system, and the removal of the rear seats to make room for stowing camping cargo. This ID.4 was campaigned by Mercedes Lilienthal and Emily Winslow and was the first electrified crossover to complete the Rebelle Rally.
Going Analog
Flying in the face of these electrified crossovers is a holdover from the early days of desert racing: A 1969 Volkswagen Beetle that’s been modified for battle at the Baja 1000. VW holds a special place in the hearts of Baja enthusiasts, largely in part to rigs like this well-worn and heavily modified Bug, examples of which still compete in the event’s Class 11 field. With an estimated 76 horsepower hailing from its 1,600 cubic-centimeter air-cooled four-cylinder engine, this V-Dub is capable of a 75 mph top speed. (“Downhill w/a tailwind,” according to the spec sheet.)
Equipped with a prototype Bilstein “Ensenada” suspension package and a reinforced chassis, this stripped-down racer tips the scales at a mere 2,150 lbs with its 15-gallon tank filled with 110 octane race fuel. The skinny-tired Beetle claims 14 inches of front clearance; though its drum brakes and air-cooled engine are primitive, it comes with a plethora of desert-friendly items, including a full radio kit with intercoms, a Parker Pumper air filtration system for driver and navigator and a Lowrance GPS unit. If those mechanical bits seem crude, it’s all by design: the Baja 1000’s Class 11 field requires simple components like drum brakes and minimal suspension mods, keeping the entries honest and affordable.
Behind the Wheel
Though it takes a moment to get past the offroad instrumentation within the cabins of the ID.4s, the rigs behave in a manner remarkably similar to their roadgoing counterparts, even down to the fact that their traction control systems cannot be disabled. Twist the shifter into “D,” and the ID.4 accelerates with a quiet but sure-footed certainty over the Johnson Valley routes made famous by the King of the Hammers desert race. The all-wheel drive Rebelle Rally ID.4 feels noticeably brisker than the front-drive-only First Edition ID.4 from the NORRA 1000, though both often over-correct sideways slides with electronic intervention due to the omnipresent traction control system. While the traction control was not excessively intrusive on bumpy straight-line trails, the nannies interrupted the flow on a dry lake bed during a driving exercise. At least the systems relent relatively quickly, enabling the flow of smooth torque to return moments later.
Rear damping seems a bit compromised on the NORRA 1000 prepped vehicle, which might have something to do with some of the abuse endured in that race. Emme Hall told Forbes Wheels that the shocks blew during the first stage of the race and were replaced with stock units—which, in our estimation, were not in prime condition. Regardless, the ID.4 manages to muster enough power and grip to negotiate some severely undulating trails without getting stuck, a crucial part of getting through the stickier parts of the competition.
As familiar as the ID.4s are, the real surprise comes from piloting the Beetle, which demands a definitively old-school starting procedure that includes flipping toggle switches and hoping the old gal will fire after an agonizingly long period of cranking. Once the four-cylinder barks to life, the evocative thrum of the air-cooled powerplant fills the sparsely appointed cabin. Spinning the thin-rimmed steering wheel yields a decent amount of grip from the skinny front tires, and the Bilstein dampers bob the lightweight body over big bumps, bucking the short wheelbase Beetle like an undomesticated bronco. This VW isn’t quick, but it is a riot to drive. Unlike the ID.4s, which ride high and feel insulated over forbidding terrain, the Beetle feels like it’s fully engaged with its surroundings. Equally involving is its four-speed manual gearbox, whose heavy clutch pedal ensures the driver is fully immersed in the mechanical experience. Because it predates many modern safety standards, the Beetle requires a fair bit of prudence: One journalist smashed the rearview mirror with her helmet after hustling the Bug through a corner. She emerged otherwise unscathed—and seemingly invigorated by the heat of the moment. That thrill was perhaps much harder to come by in the ID.4s, which would have required quite a bit more speed to elicit the same sensations of danger.
Where Do We Go From Here?
While Volkswagen’s efforts to modify a roadgoing EV for offroad racing duty have proven successful, the exercise is more a testimony to the carmaker’s consumer offerings than an opportunity for electric vehicles to lead the charge, so to speak, with innovation. Yes, the ID.4 successfully tackled two challenging offroad races. But how will EVs take the next leap forward in durability and range? One-offs like Volkswagen’s radical ID. R proved their mettle by claiming the outright record at the Pikes Peak Hillclimb in 2018 and the following year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed Hillclimb. As for the future of offroad racing, another VW brand will make its battery-powered debut at the Dakar Rally in January 2022, where the wild Audi RS Q e-tron prototype will compete at the famed event. Watch this space as the future of electrified offroad racing continues to unfold.
