Racing

A New Record For Electric Vehicles

by Frédérick Boucher-Gaulin
Photo: ARS technica

Since the beginning of the century the Pikes Peak Hill Climb has been one of the most interesting races in the world. Various car classes race from the bottom of Pikes Peak to the top. This 20km-long road features 156 turns and 1,440 meters of elevation. Typically, the fastest cars up the mountain have been rally cars, since the last few kilometres were unpaved.

Since 2011 however, the whole road has been completed, which means that every year there are faster and faster turbocharged cars going up the mountain.

Some of the latest vehicles to try and climb Pikes Peak have been electric. They don't lose power when there is less oxygen, making them perfect for high-altitude racing.

In a single-seat car powered by batteries and generating 1,368 horsepower and 1,593 pound-feet of torque (!!), experienced racer Rhys Millen just beat the record for an electric vehicle with a time of 9:07.22, which is 20 seconds faster than the old record.

Electric cars still aren't quick enough to beat the fastest gasoline-powered car up the mountain: a Peugeot 208 T16 that did it in 8:13.

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