Maxion Wheels and long-distance driver Rainer Zietlow and the Challenge4 team announced they successfully set a new Guinness World Record for driving to the highest altitude in the all-electric VW ID.4 GTX. Equipped with Maxion’s lightweight and sustainable steel wheels, the team drove to the top of Bolivia’s Uturuncu volcano, 5,816 meters above sea level, breaking the previous record set in 2020 by approx. 45 meters of altitude, Maxion Wheels says.
Guinness World Records presented Challenge4 with the official certificate on May 23, 2022, during a press conference at the German Embassy in La Paz, Bolivia.
“This world record underscores the performance capabilities of electric vehicles such as the VW ID.4 GTX,” said Rainer Zietlow, Challenge4 director. “On the difficult terrain we encountered getting to the top of the Uturuncu volcano, robust wheels were crucial for a safe journey. Maxion Wheels’ lightweight, 18-inch steel wheels kept the vehicle on track ensuring maximum electric vehicle (EV) range and performance.” With his world record drive, Zietlow also supports the local SOS Children’s Village in La Paz.
Maxion Wheels actively supported the high-altitude challenge from the very beginning, underlining its commitment to sustainability and reducing CO2 emissions. As a leading wheel supplier for EV programs and new mobility fleets around the world, Maxion Wheels says it offers many sustainable wheel options made with greener materials, less energy and more efficient designs and processes, supporting the automotive industry’s transition towards carbon neutral.
“Congratulations to Rainer and the Challenge4 team for setting a new Guinness World Record; Maxion Wheels is proud to be part of this record-breaking moment,” said Mark Gerardts, vice president global sales and marketing at Maxion Wheels. “Electric cars such as the VW ID.4 GTX are enabling a generation shift in vehicle design and sustainability, driving demand for greener wheel options. We believe low-carbon steel wheels can play an important role in the shift to zero-carbon mobility as the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly wheel option.”
For more information about the high-altitude Guinness World Record drive, go to vwid4-highaltitude.com.
