Standard Leaf to compete in Pikes Peak

Pikes Peak hill climb has just got more ridiculous. And it's largely thanks to Nissan - it's entering an all-electric Leaf, driven by professional racer, Chad Hord. And no, it's not the funked-up Nismo hyper-Leaf we showed you in May.

It's using a bog-standard EV that's almost exactly as you'd find it in the showroom.

The Pikes Peak Leaf, which is entering into the electric class, has had a few minor additions (roll cage, bucket seats and harnesses) and subtractions (there's not much interior software left), but the motor's all factory.

It uses the production 48-module lithium-ion battery pack and 80kW AC synchronous motor, which makes 107bhp and 207 lb-ft of torque.

Despite the massive gulf in power between the Leaf and some of the more savage machinery entering this year, the EV does have a very slight advantage. Unlike normal internal combustion engines, the Leaf's electric motor won't suffer from power loss at the higher end of the 12.42-mile course - thinner air strangles an ordinary car's output.

Even then, we reckon it'll have a job beating the current (geddit) 10:04.06 up-the-hill record. We can't even see it getting close to the 13:17.575secs EV record set in 2010 by Japan's Ikuo Hanawa.

Still hungry for more EV action? Watch Jeremy, James and Richard have a go at building their own.