By
Nick Godt
Image used with permission by copyright holder
When the Guinness World Records (GWR) book was launched in 1955, the idea was to compile facts and figures that could finally settle often endless arguments in the U.K.’s many pubs.
It quickly evolved into a yearly compilation of world records, big and small, including last year’s largest grilled cheese sandwich in the world.
Things got a little bit more serious for Hyundai this year: With the GWR’s 2024 theme being the “Blue Planet” and an emphasis on the natural world, the South Korean automaker decided to set a new world record for the greatest altitude change experienced by an electric vehicle (EV).
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To achieve the record this December, Hyundai had an Ioniq 5 EV descend 19,035 feet during a more than 3,000-mile journey across the Indian peninsula. Last year, the record was set by China’s Changan Nevo A07 EV, which experienced an altitude change of 18,766 feet while traveling nearly 1,500 miles through Tibet.
The Ioniq 5’s journey started in the Himalayas at India’s highest drivable point in Umling La in Leh Ladakh, located 19,025 feet above sea level. The trip finished in Kuttanad, Kerala, which is 9.8 feet below sea level.
During two weeks, the Hyundai EV traveled through harsh terrain and extreme weather conditions, including freezing temperatures and steep mountain passes, as well as humid coastal regions.
“This achievement is a testament to Hyundai’s unwavering commitment to innovation, technological excellence, and sustainability,” said Unsoo Kim, managing director of Hyundai Motor India, in a statement. “The Ioniq 5’s performance in such extreme conditions reflects its engineering prowess and durability.”
The Ioniq 5 is equipped with a 72.6 kWh battery, providing a driving range of over 300 miles.
The record was set just as the 2025 Ioniq 5 started being delivered in the U.S. The new model will be the first to feature 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 24 minutes.
Nick Godt has covered global business news on three continents for over 25 years.
Want to lease an EV? The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is incredibly cheap right now
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has long been one of the most-loved electric vehicles, thanks to its unique and sleek design, solid range and charging speed, and reasonable price. But, it turns out, that price is even more reasonable than you might think — if you’re willing to lease it.
Current offers
Hyundai has been very aggressive in trying to get Ioniq 5 units into the hands of customers, and at the time of this writing, you could lease the vehicle for as little as $219 per month for 36 months, with $3,486.45 due at signing. Over the 36 months, that equates to around $315.85 per month. Not bad at all. That’s for the Ioniq 5 SE, which is the entry-level model.
To be fair, this particular lease deal expires on July 1, which is the day of writing this piece. However, it’s not alone — and as mentioned, Hyundai has been pretty consistent in offering the Ioniq 5 at incredibly low prices. As Electrek points out, this lease price is a lower price than the lease price for the Nissan Versa, which is the cheapest car in America to buy.
Don’t let the gimmicks fool you. The Ioniq 5 N is a serious track car
We’re finally getting to the fun part of automakers’ methodical quest to replicate their lineups with electric cars.
Performance versions of ordinary cars have been a staple of the auto industry for decades. But while we’ve already seen some variants of EVs boasting more power and more impressive stats — think Tesla Model S Plaid or Lucid Air Sapphire — the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is the first to truly apply that format to an EV.
Hyundai Ioniq 9: everything we know so far
The Kia EV9 was a huge hit, proving that an electric SUV at a relatively affordable price is something that plenty of people want. Now, Hyundai is finally trying its hand at the same concept with the Hyundai Ioniq 9. The company has been teasing the Ioniq 9 for some time now, but finally, we have a much better look at it, along with some specifications for what it will offer under the hood.
The Ioniq 9 is based on Hyundai’s Concept Seven electric SUV, but it’s different from that vehicle in many ways. It incorporates elements from the much-loved Ioniq 5, but in a larger body. Essentially, it’s the electric SUV that you’ve been wanting from Hyundai.
