The Guinness World Records (GWR) book, established in 1955, was initially meant to settle long-standing debates in Britain’s numerous pubs by gathering facts and statistics. However, it has since transformed into an annual collection of world records, both significant and minor, such as last year’s record for the world’s largest grilled cheese sandwich.
This year, things took a more serious turn for the South Korean car manufacturer, Hyundai, in line with GWR’s 2024 theme of “Blue Planet,” focusing on the natural world. Hyundai set out to break a new world record for the highest altitude change experienced by an electric vehicle (EV).
In December, Hyundai set this record by having their Ioniq 5 EV descend 19,035 feet during a journey spanning over 3,000 miles across the Indian subcontinent. The previous record was held by China’s Changan Nevo A07 EV, which saw an altitude change of 18,766 feet while traversing nearly 1,500 miles through Tibet.
The Ioniq 5 began its voyage in the Himalayas at Umling La in Leh Ladakh, India’s highest drivable point situated 19,025 feet above sea level, and ended in Kuttanad, Kerala, which is 9.8 feet below sea level.
For two weeks, the Hyundai EV navigated through rough landscapes and extreme weather conditions, including freezing temperatures and steep mountain passes, as well as humid coastal areas.
Unsoo Kim, Hyundai Motor India’s managing director, stated, “This achievement showcases Hyundai’s unwavering dedication to innovation, technological superiority, and sustainability.” He added, “The Ioniq 5’s performance in such extreme conditions demonstrates its engineering brilliance and durability.”
The Ioniq 5 is powered by a 72.6 kWh battery, offering a driving range of over 300 miles. The record-setting event coincided with the start of the 2025 Ioniq 5 deliveries in the U.S. The new model will be the first to include a North American Charging Standard (NACS) port. Using a Tesla SuperCharger, the basic Ioniq 5 model can charge the battery from 10% to 80% in just 24 minutes.
