Hyundai’s electric SUV has just earned its place in history books. The Hyundai IONIQ 5 set a new Guinness World Record after braving the highest driveable road.
Hyundai IONIQ 5 EV earns new Guinness World Record
In a reflection of Hyundai’s “technological prowess,” the company announced on Thursday, December 26, that the IONIQ 5 officially set a new Guinness World Record.
The electric SUV achieved the “Greatest altitude change by an electric car” with an altitude change of over 19,000 ft (5,802 m) in “harsh terrain” and “extreme weather conditions.”
Hyundai Motor India and Evo India, a leading auto magazine firm, organized the event. The IONIQ 5 began its journey at Umling La in Leh Ladakh, which is known as the world’s highest driveable road, at 19,025 ft (5,799 m) above sea level.
After driving 3,080 miles (4,956 km) in just 14 days, the electric SUV achieved an altitude difference of 19,035 ft (5,802 m), setting a new Guinness World Record.
“The performance of the IONIQ 5, proven under such extreme conditions, reflects Hyundai Motor Company’s technological prowess,” Mr Unsoo Kim, Hyundai Motor India’s managing director, boasted after the accomplishment.
Hyundai IONIQ 5 earns the Guinness Book of World Records for the ‘Greatest altitude change by an electric car’ (Source: Hyundai)
Hyundai’s best-selling EV “seamlessly” adapted to “freezing temperatures and steep mountain passes in the Himalayas to humid coastal regions in Kerala.”
New EVs on route
The electric SUV, powered by a 72.6 kWh battery, has an EPA-estimated driving range of over 300 miles (481 km WLTP).
Hyundai’s electric SUV is getting even more powerful. The accomplishment comes as the upgraded 2025 IONIQ 5 is rolling out in the US. The refreshed model gets even more driving range and a stylish new design. It even comes with an NACS charging port to access Tesla Superchargers.
Hyundai’s new 2025 IONIQ 5 Limited with a Tesla NACS port (Source: Hyundai)
Thanks to a bigger (84 kWh) battery, the 2025 IONIQ 5 has a driving range of 318 miles, up from 303 with the outgoing model. The upgraded model starts at $42,500, while the long-range version costs just under $50,000. It will be built at Hyundai’s new manufacturing plant in Georgia.
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Trim
EV Powertrain
Driving Range (miles)
Starting Price*
IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range
168-horsepower rear motor
245
$42,500
IONIQ 5 SE RWD
225-horsepower rear motor
318
$46,550
IONIQ 5 SEL RWD
225-horsepower rear motor
318
$49,500
IONIQ 5 Limited RWD
225-horsepower rear motor
318
$54,200
IONIQ 5 SE Dual Motor AWD
320-horsepower dual motor
290
$50,050
IONIQ 5 SEL Dual Motor AWD
320-horsepower dual motor
290
$53,000
IONIQ 5 XRT Dual Motor AWD
320 horsepower dual motor
259
$55,400
IONIQ 5 Limited Dual Motor AWD
320-horsepower dual motor
269
$58,100
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 prices and range by trim (*includes $1,475 destination fee)
The Korean auto giant is also launching its first three-row electric SUV, the IONIQ 9. Hyundai unveiled the larger SUV at the LA Auto Show last month as it expands into new segments.
At 5,060 mm (199.2″) long, 1,980 mm (78″) wide, and 1,790 mm (70.5″) tall, the IONIQ 9 is a bit smaller than the Rivian R1S at 200.8″ long, 82″ wide, and 77.3″ tall.
Hyundai IONIQ 9 three-row electric SUV (Source: Hyundai)
The IONIQ 9 is powered by a massive 110.2 kWh battery, good for an EPA-est range of 335 miles, or 620 km on the WLTP cycle.
Hyundai will build the three-row EV in Georgia alongside the 2025 IONIQ 5. It will be available in the US and Korea in the first half of 2025, followed shortly after by Europe and other global markets. Check back soon, as pricing and more information will be released closer to launch.
With the 2025 models rolling out, Hyundai is offering close-out prices for the outgoing IONIQ 5, with leases starting as low as $159 per month. Ready to try it out for yourself? We’ve got you covered. You can use our link to find offers on 2024 and 2025 IONIQ 5 models in your area today.
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British Columbia got its first 400 kW DC fast charger last week at Canadian C-store chain On The Run, but that’s not the good part. As part of a limited time offer, these chargers are FREE!
The Canadian convenience store chain just took the wraps off its new, ABB-developed, 400 kW chargers earlier this month, but they’re already planning to bring the ultra-fast 400 kW dispensers to at least four more locations in BC this spring, and have them online just in time for the summer road trip season – something On The Run hopes its customers will appreciate.
“The A400 charger delivers an enhanced customer experience, with reliability and performance from a 32-inch screen to higher power charging sessions and power sharing,” reads the company’s official announcement, via LinkedIn. “Download the Journie Rewards app to start the charge – free for a limited time.”
On The Run’s new 400 kW ABB DC fast chargers are compatible with CCS and CHAdeMO plugs, and can accommodate Tesla and other NACS-equipped vehicles with an adapter. That said, the company seems to imply that Tesla drivers in particular will have a maximum charging speed of “just” 50 kW, which feel hilarious (given the current state of affairs between Tesla and the Canadian government), but probably isn’t.
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In addition to the ABB A400 400 kW units shown here, On The Run locations also employ the ABB Terra 184 dispensers rated at 180 kW. On The Run plans similar deployments at the four BC locations mentioned above, as well as two more each in Quebec and Ontario slated to go live towards the end of this year.
Electrek’s Take
Tesla’s controversial CEO Elon Musk once mocked 350 kW charging speed as being “for a child’s toy,” despite the fact that, nearly nine years later, his own cars and Superchargers can barely make it to 325 kW while others have sailed right on past. I made fun of that fact on the Quick Charge episode shown, above – and, while I do think it’s funny and relevant, the much more relevant piece of news here is that companies like BP Pulse, Revel, and Wallbox are actively deploying 400 kW solutions, today (while others hit the same mark as far back as 2017).
Terawatt Infrastructure‘s first medium- and heavy-duty electric charging truck stop in California is now online, in Rancho Dominguez.
Located 12 miles north of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, the private Rancho Dominguez site, which is shared among multiple fleets, will support electric trucking fleet operations in and out of the largest container ports in the US.
First customers include Dreaded Trucking, Hight Logistics, PepsiCo, Quick Container Drayage, Southern Counties Express, Tradelink Transport, and WestCoast Trucking & Warehousing.
Terawatt’s electric charging truck stop features 20 pull-through and bobtail DC fast charging stalls with a capacity of 7 megawatts (MW), enabling charging for up to 125 trucks per day using a simple reservations system. Terawatt’s site features a proprietary charge management system, in-house technicians, 24/7 customer service, and onsite parts management.
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“This launch underscores growing collaboration between enterprises, shippers, carriers, and charging infrastructure providers to advance sustainable technologies across logistics and transportation operations, especially in the medium and heavy-duty sectors,” said Neha Palmer, CEO and cofounder of Terawatt. Palmer added that the company will bring another charging site online in Rialto, California, in June.
Terawatt joined some of the world’s largest shippers and carriers in September 2024 to launch the I-10 Consortium heavy-duty EV operations pilot, the “first-ever US over-the-road electrified corridor.” Terawatt is providing charging infrastructure, including software, operations, and maintenance support at six of its owned charging hubs along the I-10 corridor.
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In its most aggressive attack against offshore wind yet, the Trump administration halted the $5 billion Empire Wind 1, already under construction off New York’s coast.
Norwegian developer Equinor announced yesterday that it received notice from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) ordering Empire Wind 1 to halt all activities on the outer continental shelf until BOEM has completed its review. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum posted this tweet yesterday:
.@Interior, in consultation with @HowardLutnick, is directing @BOEM to immediately halt all construction activities on the Empire Wind Project until further review of information that suggests the Biden administration rushed through its approval without sufficient analysis.
— Secretary Doug Burgum (@SecretaryBurgum) April 16, 2025
Burgum gave no indication of what insufficiencies there were in the approval process for the fully permitted offshore wind project, despite Trump’s recent declaration of a national energy emergency that speeds up permitting processes.
The commercial lease for the 810-megawatt (MW) Empire Wind 1’s federal offshore wind area was signed in March 2017 during the first Trump administration. It was approved by the Biden administration in November 2023 and began construction in 2024.
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The project is being developed under contract with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Empire Wind 1, which was due to come online in 2027, has the potential to power 500,000 New York homes.
“Halting construction of fully permitted energy projects is the literal opposite of an energy abundance agenda,” said American Clean Power Association CEO Jason Grumet in a statement. “We encourage the administration to quickly address perceived inadequacies in the prior permit approvals so that this project can complete construction and bring much-needed power to the grid.”
As Electrekreported, Equinor secured $3 billion to finance Empire Wind 1 in January. The total amount drawn under the project finance term loan facility as of March 31 was around $1.5 billion.
As of March 31, Empire Wind has a gross book value of around $2.5 billion, including South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (pictured above), which was expected to become the US’s largest dedicated port facility for offshore wind.
In response to BOEM’s stop work order, New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued the following statement:
Every single day, I’m working to make energy more affordable, reliable and abundant in New York and the federal government should be supporting those efforts rather than undermining them. Empire Wind 1 is already employing hundreds of New Yorkers, including 1,000 good-paying union jobs as part of a growing sector that has already spurred significant economic development and private investment throughout the state and beyond.
As Governor, I will not allow this federal overreach to stand. I will fight this every step of the way to protect union jobs, affordable energy and New York’s economic future.
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