Ride Up Pikes Peak In A 1,000-HP Tesla Model S - Video

Taking the win in the Exhibition class!

Earlier this week, California implemented new emissions guidelines that make it more difficult for tuner cars to pass a smog test, leading some to claim that go-fast internal combustion was going the way of the dodo. That could be true, but the final nail in the coffin won't come from government regulations - it'll come from the EV competition, as evidenced by this blistering run up Pikes Peak from Randy Pobst in the Unplugged Performance Tesla Model S Plaid.

For those readers who may be unaware, the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb (PPIH) is an annual motorsport competition held on a winding two-lane strand of blacktop leading to the summit of Pikes Peak mountain in Colorado. First held in 1916, the event routinely attracts a diverse group of competitors, who travel from around the world to challenge the mountain's 12.42 miles, 156 turns, and 4,720-feet of elevation change.

Highly technical and exceedingly dangerous, the PPIH has claimed the lives of seven racers over the years. Conditions are variable, with unpredictable weather resulting in both dry and wet sections that can easily catch the unwary, plus nasty drops that will punish mistakes without mercy.

What's more, the finish line is 14,115 feet above sea level, which means internal combustion, in particular naturally aspirated vehicles, are at a disadvantage. That's where the EVs come in. All-electric propulsion systems are unaffected by the thin air, and as a result, there's no associated power loss as the EVs climb.

Unsurprisingly, the EVs have made significant headway at the PPIH in recent years - in fact, the current standing record was set in 2018 by Romain Dumas in the all-electric VW I.D R.

This year, Randy Pobst and the Unplugged Performance Tesla Model S Plaid continued to show the potential of EVs by taking the win in the Exhibition class, setting a time of 6:57.220 on the 9-mile course, which was shortened for 2021 due to weather.

Pobst recently uploaded his winning run to YouTube, providing a pilot-POV of what it looks like to wheel a 1,000-horsepower Tesla up Pikes Peak. Check it out below:

Images courtesy of Unplugged Performance.