The 89th annual Pikes Peak Hill Climb will take place on June 26 but won’t be occupied strictly by fire-breathing, 800 horsepower rally cars. Nissan has decided to show how serious they are about the 100 percent electric LEAF by racing the car up the infamous mountain. Being driven by veteran Nissan off-road truck racing champion Chad Hord, the LEAF will be compete in the Production Class for electric vehicles. Besides removing interior items such as seats and carpets while adding a roll cage, racing seats and harness, the LEAF that will make the run will be very close to a production model.
“This is another innovative way to showcase the fun-to-drive nature of the Nissan LEAF and highlight that 100 percent electric vehicles perform very well in demanding situations like the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb,” said Ron Stukenberg, senior manager, Marketing Communications, Motorsports. The LEAF produces 107 horsepower and 201 lb-ft of torque via its lithium-ion battery and 80kW AC synchronous motor. This year’s Pikes Peak will be the official motorsport premier for the LEAF as it will run up the mountain in almost silence. “Nissan LEAF owners are fully embracing this new world of zero-emission technology. We believe the same potential exists in the motorsports world, and we’re proud to be one of the first on the grid.”
