When the Guinness World Records (GWR) book was launched in 1955, the idea was to compile facts and figures that could finally settle often endless arguments in the U.K.’s many pubs.
It quickly evolved into a yearly compilation of world records, big and small, including last year’s largest grilled cheese sandwich in the world.
Things got a little bit more serious for Hyundai this year: With the GWR’s 2024 theme being the “Blue Planet” and an emphasis on the natural world, the South Korean automaker decided to set a new world record for the greatest altitude change experienced by an electric vehicle (EV).
To achieve the record this December, Hyundai had an Ioniq 5 EV descend 19,035 feet during a more than 3,000-mile journey across the Indian peninsula. Last year, the record was set by China’s Changan Nevo A07 EV, which experienced an altitude change of 18,766 feet while traveling nearly 1,500 miles through Tibet.
The Ioniq 5’s journey started in the Himalayas at India’s highest drivable point in Umling La in Leh Ladakh, located 19,025 feet above sea level. The trip finished in Kuttanad, Kerala, which is 9.8 feet below sea level.
During two weeks, the Hyundai EV traveled through harsh terrain and extreme weather conditions, including freezing temperatures and steep mountain passes, as well as humid coastal regions.
“This achievement is a testament to Hyundai’s unwavering commitment to innovation, technological excellence, and sustainability,” said Unsoo Kim, managing director of Hyundai Motor India, in a statement. “The Ioniq 5’s performance in such extreme conditions reflects its engineering prowess and durability.”
The Ioniq 5 is equipped with a 72.6 kWh battery, providing a driving range of over 300 miles.
The record was set just as the 2025 Ioniq 5 started being delivered in the U.S. The new model will be the first to feature a North American Charging Standard (NACS) port. Using a Tesla SuperCharger, the basic Ioniq 5 model can charge the battery from 10% to 80% in 24 minutes.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?
Update (October 22 23:54 PT): In response to our query, GM clarified that offline recording support is already available on eligible vehicles. Like Tesla's Sentry Mode, it requires owners to connect a USB drive to save incident recordings, which can be viewed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The upcoming Connected Cameras feature will build on this by giving owners remote access to these recordings via the revamped OnStar app, allowing them to check footage without walking out to their car.
General Motors has announced plans to add a new Connected Cameras feature to its OnStar service starting next year, giving drivers a way to monitor parked vehicles remotely and capture footage of certain incidents.