Paddon shows off electric rally car at Waimate 50

Day one of the Waimate 50 Horsepower Hill Climb saw progressive success for Hayden Paddon in his Hyundai Kona EV rally car.

The top three for each run shifted regularly throughout the day with Paddon (pictured) managing to maintain a consistent first position, before choosing to sit out of a fourth unforeseen run.

Starting the day drivers were exposed to slippery conditions, but no notable incidents occurred.

A constant battle with power levels of the EV in the steeper uphill sections did have to be dealt with by the team throughout the day.

Paddon said the vehicle hadn’t been producing enough power due to the lack of corners and constant high level of speed required on this road.

‘‘We definitely have to find more time . . . we don’t have enough speed at the top,’’ Paddon said.

Closely following Paddon’s time after the second run was John Spencer in the Mitsubishi Evo 9.

Spencer said the roads were in the best condition they’ve been in during the 11 years he’s competed in the event.

Paddon Rallysport engineering manager Matt Barham said the competition was constantly on their radar, as other vehicles were competing with greater levels of horsepower than the EV. Barham credited the driving of Paddon and the ‘‘benefits of EV enabling maximum torque at low RPM.’’

Teams and spectators were impressed with the level of speed produced by the Hyundai Kona.

The sound generating device was also officially on show for teams competing in the event, but was removed following the second run.

Further understanding of the how the device interacts with the internal elements of the car were yet to be fully understood.