On June 22, 2025, a Honda CR-V will carve its way up the 12.42-mile, 156-turn gauntlet of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, nicknamed “The Race to the Clouds.” This isn’t your standard CR-V, though—it’s the e:FCEV, the first hydrogen-powered vehicle to ever tackle this iconic Colorado mountain course.
Honda’s CR-V e:FCEV is no stranger to breaking new ground. Its powertrain—a second-generation Honda fuel-cell system paired with a 17.7 kWh battery pack and two high-pressure hydrogen tanks—delivers 174 horsepower and 229 lb.-ft. of torque. “The CR-V e:FCEV will compete in the Exhibition Class without modifications to its zero-emissions powertrain,” Honda stated in its announcement.
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Engineers at Honda of America Race Team (HART) and Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US) lowered the suspension by an inch, swapped in racing brake pads, and fitted lightweight 18-inch wheels wrapped in Yokohama Advan A052 tires. A custom racing seat and safety cage, hand-crafted by HART and Performance Manufacturing Center engineers, finish up the mods.
Dai Yoshihara, a Pikes Peak class-winner and two-time Formula Drift champion, will pilot the CR-V e:FCEV. His resume includes an EV Class win and an Unlimited Class victory at Pikes Peak. Hydrogen fuel cells don’t rely on oxygen-hungry combustion, so the e:FCEV’s performance should hold steady from the 9,390-foot start line to the summit. “Dai Yoshihara’s experience and skill make him the ideal driver to showcase the capabilities of our fuel-cell technology,” Honda noted.
Fueling this historic run is another innovation: Zero Emission Industries’ ultra-compact, portable hydrogen refueling device. Unlike traditional gas pumps, this system ensures the CR-V can recharge its hydrogen tanks quickly and efficiently, even in the remote Pikes Peak environment.With a 270-mile EPA range and up to 29 miles of pure EV driving from its plug-in battery, the production model is built for versatility.
Since 1994, when a converted Honda Civic won the first-ever EV Class, the company has been a trailblazer in zero-emissions racing. Multiple EV Class wins and record-setting runs followed, including efforts with an electric Honda Fit and EV Plus. “Honda has a long history of campaigning zero-emissions vehicles at Pikes Peak,” the company proudly stated, framing the CR-V e:FCEV as the next chapter in that legacy.
Will this hydrogen-powered SUV rewrite the rules of racing, or is it a bold but fleeting experiment? Honda’s betting on the former. June 22, 2025, might just mark the day hydrogen racing went from niche to undeniable.
