Hyundai has announced that its remarkable 641hp electric performance car, the Ioniq 5 N, will tackle the mightiest hill climb of them all: Pikes Peak.
Ascending to the clouds (and just a bit further, sometimes) in Colorado, Pikes Peak is one of the longest-running motorsports events in the world and has seen such immortality racing names as Mario Andretti, Al Unser, Michelle Mouton, Ari Vatanen, and Sebastian Loeb tackle the 20km track which winds its way to 4,300 metres above sea level.
Four car team
The Ioniq 5 N team - and there will be four cars - will be chasing the Electric Production SUV/Crossover record. "We are returning to the mountain stronger than we have left it, with a class leading electric SUV in the form of Ioniq 5 N," said Till Wartenberg, head of N Brand and Motorsport. "Hyundai has a history of proving new technologies and products at Pikes Peak going all the way back to 1992 and the Ioniq 5 N brings that concept to high performance electric cars. The production spec Ioniq 5 N will demonstrate what customers can expect from their vehicles."
The top two drivers taking the Ioniq 5 Ns up the hill will be Paul Dallenbach and Ron Zaras. Dallenbach is an eleven-time Pikes Peak winner and set an overall record in 1993. Zaras is a PPIHC rookie and the newest team member. Zaras, a media personality and former Hoonigan executive, was recently chosen to showcase the story of a motorsport enthusiast preparing for this massive challenge of competing at Pikes Peak.
Climb Dance video
"As a lifelong fan of rallying, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb has been a bucket list event to take part in from the first time I watched the film 'Climb Dance' [the famous video of Air Vatanen tackling the hill in a specially-built Peugeot 405 rally car] on a 56k Internet connection," said Zaras. "So, competing here for my first time ever in the Ioniq 5 N - with the support of the excellent teams at Hyundai - is an incredible honor. I'm thrilled to share my journey from young spectator to first time competitor along the way; challenging as that path may be."
Alongside the two production-spec models, Hyundai will also be running a modified Ioniq 5 N up Pikes Peak, in the hands of rally ace Dani Sordo and Robin Shute - a four-time overall winner and King of the Mountain title holder at Pikes Peak.
World Rally-inspired
Why take on Pikes Peak? According to Hyundai, the contest "embodies the racetrack capability of every N performance vehicle. IONIQ 5 N has been tested in extreme temperatures and locations and developed and tuned specifically at the Nürburgring Nordschleife for enhanced racetrack capability. It is supported by technologies such as structural enhancements, World Rally Championship-inspired integrated drive axles, increased thermal management, N-tuned brakes, and an industry leading brake regenerative force of 0.6G."
While Hyundai is chasing a production car class record, the Ioniq 5 N nevertheless has to be modified to compete. This includes Recaro Pro Racer SPA Hans seats and seat belts from Sabelt, which are six-point HANS compatible. The rear seats have been removed, and a roll cage and fire suppression system have been installed.
The cars, currently being tested in California, are painted red, but Hyundai says that it will create a special one-off N-branded livery for Pikes Peak.
