Acura ZDX Type S Heads To Pikes Peak Hill Climb As First Ever Electric Pace Car

Acura has announced that the new ZDX Type S, its first-ever electric vehicle, will be the official pace car at the 102nd running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. It will be the first-ever electric vehicle to pace the event and will be piloted by pro BMX athlete and amateur drifter Coco Zurita. An electric crossover isn’t the sportiest pace car, but the ZDX has several aces up its sleeve.

For a start, the Type S variant produces a healthy 500 horsepower and 544 lb-ft of torque. Pikes Peak is a series of exciting bends that can quickly turn treacherous if you make a mistake. Excellent handling is essential, and the Type S delivers with all-wheel drive, near 50:50 weight distribution, and a low center of gravity (courtesy of that hefty battery pack). Performance-tuned adaptive dampers, air suspension, and 15.6-inch Brembo front brakes with six-piston calipers should also come in handy.

2024 Acura ZDX Type S AWD

MSRP

$73,500

Engine

Electric

Drivetrain

All-Wheel Drive

Transmission

Single Speed Automatic

Battery Size

102 kWh

Horsepower

500 hp

Curb Weight

6,052 lbs

Maximum Towing Capacity

3,500 lbs

Torque

544 lb-ft

Range

278 miles

An Electric Crossover As A Pace Car?

This will be the tenth time an Acura has paced the legendary motorsport event. Previous models that have had the honor include the TLX Type S and the discontinued NSX supercar. Both are desirable performance vehicles, so using an electric crossover is somewhat puzzling. Or is it? Over the 12.42-mile run, drivers and their machines climb 4,725 ft, finishing 14,115 ft above sea level.

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The performance of an ICE-powered vehicle depends on how much air gets into the combustion chambers. As they climb and reach higher altitudes, performance wanes as the air becomes less dense and oxygen-rich. This is particularly noticeable in naturally aspirated cars. Turbocharging compensates for some atmospheric pressure loss, but it’s still no match for an EV that doesn’t rely on a combustion cycle.

Pikes Peak Is No Stranger To EVs

Impervious to the effects of altitude, the Acura ZDX Type S will provide consistent performance over the entire course. Unsurprisingly, many contestants have opted to use high-performance electric cars in recent years. In fact, the Pikes Peak record is held by an EV after Romain Dumas set a blistering time of 7:57.148 in the Volkswagen ID. R back in 2018.

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We’re not suggesting that the ZDX Type S will produce similar results, but it will be interesting to see how it compares to other SUVs. For reference, the Lamborghini Urus holds the record for SUVs, with an official time of 10:32.064. Even with the benefit of an electric drivetrain, the ZDX Type S is unlikely to dethrone the Lambo.

Acura Integra Partaking In The Hill Climb

Acura and Honda Racing Corporation USA will compete with a pair of Integras. An A-Spec model, piloted by Paul Hubers, will compete in the Pikes Peak Open division. At the same time, a specially prepared, HRC-developed Integra Type S DE5 driven by Katherine Legge will duke it out in the Time Attack 1 division. The 102nd running of Pikes Peak will kick off on June 23.