by Hydrogen-Powered Honda CR-V to Tackle Pikes Peak
Honda is preparing to participate in the legendary Pikes Peak hill climb with the hydrogen-powered 2025 CR-V. This is the first fuel cell vehicle to compete in this event. Although it looks almost like a production crossover, engineers have made some modifications to improve safety and handling.
The modifications include: a suspension lowered by 25 mm, sport brake pads, alloy wheels, and special Yokohama Advan A052 tires. The interior has been equipped with a roll cage, a sports seat, and harnesses. However, the powertrain remains unchanged – it’s a 174-horsepower electric motor, a 17.7 kWh battery, and two high-tech hydrogen tanks.
“Honda is no stranger to innovation at Pikes Peak. In 1994, they won the first-ever electric vehicle class with a modified Civic”
Technical Features and Logistics
The hydrogen CR-V has a range of 270 miles (435 km) on hydrogen or 29 miles (47 km) in electric-only mode. The latter function is designed to reduce “range anxiety,” which is especially relevant due to the lack of hydrogen refueling stations in the USA. There are no such stations in Colorado itself, so Honda will use a portable refueling station from Zero Emission Industries.
The vehicle was prepared by the Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio in collaboration with the Honda of America Race Team. This project demonstrates the potential of hydrogen technologies in extreme conditions, despite all the technical and infrastructure challenges. Success at Pikes Peak could be an important step for the further development of this eco-friendly alternative to traditional fuels.
