Porsche claims another world record for an unusual drive

Porsche is claiming yet another Guinness World Record, this one for driving from the lowest point available to the top of a mountain, a vertical difference of three miles.

Back in 2020 and early 2021, Porsche Cars North America claimed records for the fastest slalom driving, for the longest continual drift driving, and the world indoor speed record. 

Now, it is laying claim to “the greatest altitude change ever achieved by an electric car.”

This record was achieved by J.F. Musial and his film team, who did the drive in a Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo, and did so in a little more than a day, “pausing only for both humans and the car to momentarily re-charge,” according to the Porsche news release.

The challenge apparently was sparked while the film team was scouting locations. 

“We wanted to drive from the lowest point in America to one of the highest, Pikes Peak – where we’ve spent countless hours filming the famous hill climb,” Musial is quoted. “The project relied on a lot of goodwill, and a car that’s pretty much unique in its mix of abilities.”

The lowest point in the US is Badwater Basin, 282 feet below sea level in Death Valley National Park. But the film crew wanted to go deeper, and the operators of the Eagle Mine in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula agreed to let the Porsche start from a depth of 1,774.4 feet below sea level underground in its nickel and copper mine.

“It was fitting to have the Porsche Taycan drive to the bottom of our nickel and copper mine, as both elements are essential to electric vehicles,” noted Darby Stacey, Eagle Mine managing director. “After numerous risk assessments, safety discussions, and detailed planning, our mine team was up to the challenge. We are proud to have worked with Porsche to safely execute and complete a new world record.”

Emerging from the mining tunnel, the car was a mere 1,400 miles from Pikes Peak, where the Taycan drove to the summit at 14,115 feet. 

“The journey was among the most demanding the car and team had ever experienced,” Porsche claimed. “It would take them across six states, and would ascend 4,842.967 meters, or just over three miles, without ever leaving the ground. The oxygen available to them at the start of the journey fell by 40 percent by the time they reached the top of the mountain. Along the way they encountered sun, rain, snow and ice, fatigue and the ever-present threat the mountain road, and path to their record, would close due to the weather conditions.”

The record drive involved three sets of drivers, with Musial either driving or in the passenger seat for the entire trip. The team drove a total of 1,413 miles in 33 hours, 48 minutes, and an elevation change of 15,889 feet.

“You can plan for months, develop a highly detailed schedule, but at the end of the day it always comes down to execution and weather,” Musial said. “I couldn’t have been prouder of our team’s efforts. The weather – that was a different story. I’ve always been told that the mountain decides if it’ll allow you to get to the summit. Despite an incoming snowstorm, we got lucky and found a small 45-minute window to get to the top – the mountain let us get this record.”