Hyundai has achieved the fastest time for a production electric vehicle at the prestigious Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado. (Image courtesy of Hyundai Motor Co.)
SEOUL, Jun. 25 (Korea Bizwire) – Hyundai Motor Company announced on June 24 that it has achieved the fastest time for a production electric vehicle at the prestigious Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado, held on June 23.
The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, often referred to as the “Race to the Clouds,” is the second-oldest motorsports event in the United States, dating back to 1916. The challenging course begins at an elevation of 2,862 meters and climbs to the summit at 4,302 meters, covering a distance of 19.99 kilometers of steep, winding mountain roads.
Hyundai entered the competition’s Exhibition class with modified and unmodified versions of its high-performance electric vehicle, the Ioniq 5 N. The modified version, dubbed the “Ioniq 5 N TA Spec,” utilized the same high-capacity battery and high-output motor system as the production model but increased its power output to a maximum of 687 horsepower through software modifications. It was also equipped with specialized motorsport components, including shock absorbers and 18-inch slick tires.
The Ioniq 5 N TA Spec, driven by Hyundai World Rally Team driver Dani Sordo and Motor Trend journalist Randy Pobst, completed the course in 9 minutes and 30.852 seconds. This time shattered the previous record for production-based electric vehicles of 9 minutes and 54.901 seconds, despite it being the vehicle’s first appearance at the event in its modified form.
In the unmodified category, automotive influencer Ron Zaras piloted a standard Ioniq 5 N to a time of 10 minutes and 49.267 seconds, also surpassing the previous record of 11 minutes and 2.801 seconds for unmodified production electric vehicles.
A Hyundai spokesperson stated, “The Ioniq 5 N has once again demonstrated its powerful performance by setting the record for production electric vehicles. We plan to showcase N brand’s technological prowess through various motorsport activities in the future.”
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
