LOS ANGELES: Honda says its CR-V e:FCEV will become the first hydrogen-powered vehicle to contest the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb exhibition class on June 22.
The 2025 CR-V e:FCEV will tackle the 20km, 156-turn mountain course under the stewardship of Dai Yoshihara, a two-time Formula Drift champion and Pikes Peak class winner.
Preparation is a collaboration between Honda of America Race Team (HART), Honda R&D Japan and Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US).
Competing without alterations to its zero-emissions powertrain, the CR-V e:FCEV retains its second-generation Honda fuel cell system—manufactured at Fuel Cell System Manufacturing, LLC in Michigan—paired with a front-mounted single electric motor, a 17.7 kWh battery pack and two high-pressure hydrogen tanks.
All units are hand-built at Honda Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio, making it the sole fuel cell electric passenger vehicle produced in the United States and the first to integrate hydrogen fuel cell technology with plug-in hybrid capability.
For Pikes Peak competition, the vehicle receives only a 1-inch lower suspension setting, racing brake pads, lightweight 18-inch wheels shod with 265/45R18 Yokohama Advan A052 tyres, a bespoke racing seat and a safety cage.
Hydrogen refuelling will be supported on site by Zero Emission Industries using its FTcase portable solution, which converts any gaseous hydrogen supply into a functional refuelling station operable by a single non-specialist attendant.
Renowned as the Race to the Clouds for its 14,115-foot summit in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb has been held annually since 1916, drawing drivers worldwide to compete in diverse vehicle categories.
Honda’s involvement in zero-emissions classes dates to 1994, when it secured first place in the inaugural EV Class with an electric Civic wagon (15 min 44.7 sec).
Subsequent successes include wins in 1999 with the EV Plus (15 min 19.9 sec), in 2014 with an electric Fit (12 min 55.6 sec), and in 2015 when a four-motor CR-Z concept topped the Exhibition Class in 10 min 23.8 sec. In 2016, an NSX-bodied EV concept lowered that time to 9 min 6.1 sec.
Dai Yoshihara brings extensive Pikes Peak experience, having competed five times with an Unlimited Class victory in 2020 and runner-up in the Exhibition Class in 2022.
He joined Honda’s racing efforts in 2023, winning multiple TC America Championship races before finishing fourth overall, and has campaigned a Civic Type R TCR in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge since 2024.
The production 2025 CR-V e:FCEV offers a 434km-EPA driving range combined with up to 46km of electric-only operation from plug-in charging.
Its 174hp and 310Nm of torque deliver brisk acceleration, supported by chassis and suspension optimisations that boost rear lateral rigidity by 10% and torsional rigidity by 9% relative to turbo and hybrid CR-V variants.
Currently available for leasing in California, the model represents Honda’s latest advancement after over 30 years of fuel cell research, beginning with the FCX in 2002 — the first FCEV certified for everyday use by both the US EPA and the California Air Resources Board.
