Electric Titans Take Over The Mountain: EVs Sweep Pikes Peak 2024, Heralding a New Era in Motorsport

Electric vehicles took center stage at the 2024 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, underscoring their growing influence in the future of racing sports.

Electric vehicles are no strangers to the Pikes Peak challenge, a yearly event where various vehicles race against the clock to ascend the 12.5-mile route to the peak of the 14,115-foot Colorado mountain. However, this year saw them take center stage, with the French racer Romain Dumas clocking in the quickest run at 8 minutes, 53.533 seconds in the striking Ford F-150 Lightning SuperTruck.

The SuperTruck is a unique prototype equipped with a three-motor power system that was calibrated to deliver 1,600 horsepower for the Pikes Peak event. This truck was additionally equipped with an aerodynamic kit that purportedly produced 6,000 pounds of downforce when reaching speeds of 150 mph, significantly altering its appearance from a standard Lightning model.

The 2025 model of the Rivian R1T, equipped with a quad-motor setup,

At the high elevations of Pikes Peak, the reduced air density diminishes the performance of aerodynamic components such as spoilers, splitters, and diffusers that are essential for creating downforce and enhancing vehicle traction. This same thin air also affects the performance of traditional combustion engines, which rely on oxygen, unlike their electric counterparts.

Dumas currently has the record for the fastest time at Pikes Peak with a duration of 7 minutes and 57.148 seconds, achieved in 2018 while behind the wheel of the Volkswagen ID.R, a unique electric vehicle built for demonstration purposes. He took the wheel of a comparable vehicle, the Ford SuperVan 4.2, at the 2023 Pikes Peak event, clocking in at 8 minutes and 47.682 seconds. Ford has stated that the insights gained from the SuperVan were instrumental in the creation of the SuperTruck.

Winning isn't the sole aim for participants in the Pikes Peak race. Gardner Nichols finished the track with a time of 10:53.883 driving a 2025 Rivian R1T, surpassing his previous year's record in a Rivian by half a minute and establishing a new record for the quickest production truck. The 2025 versions of both the R1T and its R1S SUV counterpart have undergone improvements to enhance performance and passenger experience.

The 2024 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will feature the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N TA specification.

At the event, Hyundai showcased a standard 2025 Ioniq 5 N alongside two altered Time Attack Spec editions. Driving the unmodified Ioniq 5 N, first-time Pikes Peak competitor Ron Zaras finished with a time of 10:49.267, establishing a new speed record for a production SUV, the category under which the Ioniq 5 N was entered for this competition.

The TA Spec vehicles were equipped with large rear spoilers, specialized shocks, brakes, and tires for racing, along with software modifications to boost engine performance. Rally expert Dani Sordo clocked in at 9:30.852 in one of the vehicles, clinching the top spot in the showcase category. Meanwhile, seasoned racer Randy Pobst achieved a 9:55.551 in the second vehicle.

Electric vehicles not only have their own exclusive competitions like Formula E and Extreme E, but they also demonstrate their prowess in mixed-field events such as the Pikes Peak hill climb, where they compete directly with traditional gas-powered engines and emerge victorious.

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