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What a great way to end the year — trying to set a new world record. That’s what a Hyundai team in India has been doing with its fully electric Hyundai IONIQ 5.
Hyundai Motor India Limited has tried to drive the IONIQ 5 across the biggest altitude change in history for an electric car — well, using a professional driving team from Evo India. To set the new record — which, yes, they did accomplish — they started out at India’s highest drivable point, Umling La in Leh Ladakh. They then went down 5,802 meters to Kuttanad, Kerala. The journey was over 4,900 km (3,045 miles).
And, yes, they used a standard production version of the IONIQ 5 for this. The Hyundai IONIQ 5 that was used to set the record didn’t have some crazy 200 kWh battery. It had a simple 72.6 kWh battery pack like other IONIQ 5 EVs you can see out on the road or buy from a Hyundai dealer. That said, Hyundai used the achievement to fluff up its description of the car and its capabilities: “Equipped with a high-capacity 72.6 kWh battery, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 delivers exceptional driving range, advanced safety, and cutting-edge smart technologies, offering customers an exhilarating and versatile e-mobility experience.” Well, it is a world record–holding car.
The new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ took 14 days to complete. Hyundai’s take on it — aside from getting press in the last week of the year — is that this accomplishment shows how versatile, robust, and capable the IONIQ 5 is. “Throughout the journey, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 reaffirmed its position as a benchmark in electric mobility, seamlessly navigating harsh environments, from freezing temperatures and steep mountain passes in the Himalayas to humid coastal regions in Kerala.” (I imagine plenty of other electric cars could do the same, but, hey, this was Hyundai’s idea, so it gets to bask in the glory.)
Mr. Unsoo Kim, Managing Director, Hyundai Motor India Limited said, “We are incredibly proud to see the Hyundai IONIQ 5 create history by achieving the Guinness World Record™ for the Greatest altitude change by an electric car. This achievement is a testament to Hyundai’s unwavering commitment to innovation, technological excellence, and sustainability. The IONIQ 5’s performance in such extreme conditions reflects its engineering prowess and durability. At Hyundai, we are dedicated to pushing boundaries and setting new benchmarks in e-mobility, and this record further reinforces our vision of ‘Progress for Humanity’.”
I’m sure Hyundai would like to take all the credit and funnel people into its dealerships — and deservedly so — but the achievement is more of a testament to how far battery technology has come in the past decade and how much more capable and well built popular electric cars are today. They lead the auto market on safety. They have enough range for any normal, sane use. There are chargers all over the place. These EVs have been tested under all sorts of conditions. Last but not least, as sales and production have ramped up, automakers have worked out more and more of the bugs of early technology, refined the cars, and made them more reliable. There is no need for “sacrifice” when going electric today. In fact, by buying an electric car, you are going to benefit from a few key advantages EVs have over gas cars: greater convenience, a smoother drive, a quieter driving experience, more torque/acceleration, over-the-air software updates, and cleaner air of course.
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