Stark Future and Swiss rider Jiri Zak break the Guinness High-Altitude World Record* on the world’s highest active volcano, riding the Stark VARG EX electric enduro bike.
Stark and Swiss mountaineer-rider Jiri Zak have completed a high-altitude world record attempt on Los Ojos del Salado (6,893 m), the world’s highest active volcano, riding the fully electric Stark VARG EX.
To ensure data integrity, the team’s GPS devices were calibrated and certified on Thursday, November 27. Zak made his attempt on Sunday, November 30, and completed the objective flawlessly. Final altitude figures are being compiled from the certified GPS units. Witness statements and accompanying logs will be released after independent verification.
Ojos del Salado is the proving ground: the world’s highest active volcano and one of the hardest places on Earth to chase altitude records. As the altitude rises, the air gets thinner, temperatures drop below zero, and gradients become more severe. Everything works against rider and machine. That is why the world’s biggest names, including Porsche, Yamaha, and Jeep, have all pushed for altitude records here since the early 2000s. It is the peak of altitude performance, where machines and the people behind them must either evolve or step back.
Operating near 7,000 meters tests both rider and motorcycle with thin air, sub-zero temperatures, volatile weather, and unstable volcanic terrain. The VARG EX, with instantaneous torque, a simplified driveline with no gear shifting, and reduced mechanical complexity, is engineered to provide consistent traction and controllability where internal-combustion engines typically lose power at altitude.
Jiri Zak, rider and world record holder: “Two years ago this was just a dream, to do it on an electric bike, where combustion loses its breath. Ojos is unforgiving; one mistake can cost your life. That is why I’m here with a team I trust and a motorcycle that keeps delivering power in thin air.”
Anton Wass, CEO and Founder, Stark Future: “This was never about a standalone number. It is about proving that electric is not a compromise; it takes you further than any other combustion bike could. The VARG platform can operate at the edge of the atmosphere, giving riders the control to move safely and efficiently in truly hostile conditions. Next stop? The moon.”
The record-breaking ascent was completed using a completely stock Stark VARG EX, taken straight from its box. A specialised mountain logistics and production team supported the attempt, spending several days monitoring the weather and acclimatising before the final ascent.
The filming process was designed both to document human endurance and to capture the technical details of the effort, while also providing key witness footage. This included showing the rider’s line choice, energy and traction management, and the operational challenges of handling battery and power electronics thermal requirements in sub-freezing, low-pressure environments.
