Just over a month after announcing intentions to chase records at this year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in four separate vehicles, Hyundai has confirmed one of its entrants. This summer, drivers in the IONIQ 5 N will navigate to the elevated summit in hopes of setting a new record for the segment.
The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) is an annual event held in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Vehicles from around the world compete to earn the fastest climb time by winding through 156 turns around a 12.42-mile route that climbs 4,725 feet to an altitude over 14,000 feet above sea level.
In recent years, Pike’s Peak has become a proving ground of sorts, especially for legacy automakers looking to showcase new performance vehicles or, better yet, tout their new EV technology. As we approach the 102 running of the Hill Climb this summer, we’ve gotten entry confirmations from OEMs like Ford Performance, who looks to continue all-electric success in a Ford F-150 Lightning following last year’s climb in a souped-up E-Transit “SuperVan.“
This past March, Hyundai shared plans to return to Pikes Peak with four racecars after a 14-year hiatus from the annual event. At the time, we learned Hyundai would be working with professional drivers Paul Dallenbach, an eleven-time Pikes Peak International Hill Climb winner, and Robin Shute – a four-time overall winner and King of the Mountain title holder at Pikes Peak (both pictured below).
However, we were unsure what vehicles those drivers, or the other two drivers hired, would be competing in. While Hyundai is still remaining hush about the car Shute will be wheeling up Pikes Peak, the brand has confirmed Dallenbach will be driving a production version of IONIQ 5 N also seen below.
Hyundai IONIQ 5 N to climb Pikes Peak with zero mods
Per news out of Hyundai, two of the four promised vehicles competing at the 2024 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will be IONIQ 5 N EVs, utilizing all of their standard 641 horsepower to try and capture a record climb time for electric production SUV/crossover category.
Joining Paul Dallenbach in the other Hyundai IONIQ 5 N at Pikes Peak will be Ron Zaras (also pictured above on the right), who was in attendance with the EV and other drivers in Monterey yesterday following the announcement. Paul Dallenbach and Robin Shute actually took us out driving on Laguna Seca before the Pike’s Peak announcement went public, but you’ll have to wait until next week for the full report on that.
In the meantime, we’ve got a good look at the EVs that will be pursuing the first climb times for the electric production SUV/crossover category, essentially setting the tone for the segment and putting a target on its back for future climbs. With that said, the Hyundai N team wants to deliver a climb time that is going to be tough to beat in the coming years.
What’s interesting about the IONIQ 5 N competing in the climb is that is virtually unmodified from its production version, aside from some safety requirements. The driver’s seat was replaced with a Recaro Pro Racer SPA Hans seat; the seat belts are now Sabelt six-point HANS compatible; the rear seats were removed, and a roll cage and fire suppression system were installed.
Aside from that, the EV features the same powertrain and battery with no other additions. We were told it will not be the production orange seen above but will instead get a unique wrap job synonymous with the N brand, so keep an eye out for that.
The other two Hyundai drivers, Dani Sordo and Robin Shute will be driving modified-spec IONIQ 5 Ns, which will make their public debut at the world-famous Nürburgring on May 30. Four Hyundai IONIQ EVs are scheduled to climb Pikes Peak, so there will be plenty of excitement around a growing segment in electric performance vehicles. You can tune into the event on June 23, 2024.
We will be sure to report back on those potential records as well.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
Although sales of Porsche’s first EV, the Taycan, fell nearly 50% in 2024, things could be looking up for the sports car maker. After its “launch literally electrified us,” the electric Porsche Macan may spark a comeback this year.
Why did Porsche’s EV sales drop in 2024?
Porsche delivered over 310,700 vehicles globally last year, or about 9,500 less than in 2023. Sales in China led the downfall, plunging 28% from the prior year amid a wave of low-cost domestic EVs entering the market.
In total, Porsche delivered 20,836 Taycan EVs to customers last year, down 49% from 2023. The lower total comes after launching the upgraded 2025 Taycan last year. Porsche also said, “The ramp-up of electric mobility is generally proceeding more slowly than planned” as part of the reason.
In its largest sales market, North America, Porsche delivered over 86,500 vehicles in 2024. Although that’s up a mere 1% from 2023, Porsche’s EV sales also took a hit.
Porsche sold 4,747 Taycan models in the US last year, 37% fewer than in 2023. The 2025 model began arriving at US dealerships last Summer, which helped push sales up nearly 75% in the fourth quarter to 2,358.
Meanwhile, Porsche’s second EV, the electric Macan, could have an even bigger impact. After delivering the first models at the end of September, Porsche delivered 18,278 electric Macans by the end of 2024.’
“This launch literally electrified us. I am therefore particularly pleased that more than 18,000 examples of the all-electric variant have already been delivered,” Porsche AG board member for sales and marketing, Detlev von Platen, said.
Porsche sold 2,771 electric Macan SUVs in the US last year. On a call with reporters (via Automotive News), the company’s North American CEO, Timo Resch, said, “A lot of the consumers that come into the Macan Electric are [new to the] brand.”
Electrek’s Take
I’m not here to say the electric Macan will be Porsche’s savior, but the strong sales start is promising. Porsche has already backtracked on plans for 80% of deliveries to be electric by 2030.
According to recent reports, the electric Cayenne, due out in 2026, could be delayed depending on market demand. The upcoming 718 Cayman and Boxster EVs could also face delays as Porsche plans to keep gas and hybrid models alive longer than expected.
Looking ahead, Porsche also plans to introduce an ultra-luxury electric SUV to sit above the Cayenne, codenamed “K1” internally. It’s expected to compete with Range Rover and Ferrari’s first electric SUVs.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
Elon Musk complains that Tesla is not getting subsidies for its electric truck chargers while calling for the end of electric vehicle subsidies in the US.
However, it wasn’t included in any round of funding, including the latest one announced this week, which should be the latest now that Trump is getting into office and campaigned on ending electric vehicle subsidies.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk contributed more than $240 million to get Trump elected and supported his goal of removing subsidies for electric vehicles.
That’s why it’s surprising to see Musk comment on the news in disappointment. He wrote on X: “Hear we go again (sigh)”.
While this specific project wasn’t funded, 49 other projects shared over $600 million in funding that will deploy more than 11,500 EV charging ports across 27 states, four federally recognized tribes, and the District of Columbia.
Also, while Tesla didn’t get any funding in this round, Tesla has received millions in funding for its charging stations in the previous round.
Electrek’s Take
I think that’s fair. If you are actively lobbying for the end of EV subsidies in the US, a market that is far behind the rest of the world in EV adoption, why should the administration that is investing in correcting that give you the subsidies you are trying to end?
It makes no sense. That’s why I also support California in signaling that if the Federal government removes its EV subsidies, it will replace them at the state level, but Tesla will be left out.
It’s especially fair considering Elon has made it clear that the reason he wants to kill EV subsidies, which Tesla was the biggest beneficiary of, is that he believes it will put more pressure on the competition than Tesla and potentially kill them while only Tesla will remain.
He basically wants to pull the ladder that Tesla used to get where it is now to prevent others from using it.
“Subsidies for me, not for thee” – Elon’s new motto.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
The US electric bike industry has already seen a regulation-heavy start to 2025. Now, New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s potential new restrictions on fast and exceedingly heavy electric bikes could add to the proposed and enacted legislation we’ve seen lately.
Hochul proposed in her State of the State address yesterday that Class 3 electric bikes weighing over 100 lb (45 kg) be excluded from existing electric bicycle regulations and instead be treated more like mopeds.
That would mean imposing motor vehicle regulations resulting in licensing and registration requirements, as well as disallowing their use in bike lanes.
The governor explained that this new regulation would ideally help increase the safety of bike lanes, according to Streetsblog NYC.
As a reminder, Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes can reach a top speed of 20 mph (32 km/h) on motor power, with Class 2 e-bikes including a throttle that allows motor use without requiring the pedals to be used. In most states, Class 3 e-bikes can reach higher speeds of up to 28 mph (45 km/h) with pedal assist but not throttle. However, New York State has stricter Class 3 limits that provide for speeds up to just 25 mph (40 km/h).
The proposed new regulations would only target Class 3 e-bikes that exceed the suggested weight limit of 100 lb (45 kg).
Most electric bikes weigh well under 100 lb (45 kg). Common e-bikes seen regularly on US streets and bike lanes weigh between 50-75 lb (23 to 34 kg). However, there are some e-bike models available on the market that can reach or exceed 100 lb (45 kg). We’ve tested a few of them.
Such heavy electric bikes are usually visually similar to mopeds and light electric motorcycles, often featuring large tires, heavy motors, dual suspension, chunky frames, and other components that add significant weight. However, many heavy electric bicycles are limited to 20 mph (32 km/h), and could exceed the arbitrary 100 lb (45 kg) proposed limit while still not falling under this proposed regulation due to their Class 2 designation.
Electrek’s Take
At face value, there’s some logic to this. A 100 lb electric bike has a lot more rolling mass than a 50 lb electric bike, and you can guess which one I’d rather get hit by. Though at the same time, when the rider nearly always weighs more than the vehicle, the weight of the e-bike certainly has a lower relevance to its safety. With a 200 lb (91 kg) rider on both bikes, we’re only talking about a relatively small 20% difference in mass.
And it’s a bit telling that there wasn’t much discussion in the State of the State address about any other road safety issues, certainly not about the several thousand-pound cars that actually kill many New Yorkers every year.
I’m not saying I don’t support reasonable regulations to ensure the safety of everyone, in the bike lanes and outside of them. But let’s get real here. The percentage of electric bikes that are 100+ lb is tiny, likely under 1-2% of all e-bikes on the road. And that’s a tiny slice of an entire pie that is itself a tiny slice of the injury-causing-vehicle pie. So I’m not saying there isn’t any good regulation opportunity out there for e-bikes. But this is all fluff on top of fluff if you think it’s actually about making a meaningful impact on road safety. If they really cared about better protecting cyclists, governments would enforce existing laws to prevent cars from killing them so frequently.
These types of clumsy, heavy-handed regulations are just that – quick and dirty attempts to appear to be working towards a solution, when in fact they are largely meaningless in their ultimate impact on protecting lives.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.