Toyota Announces Electric Pikes Peak Entry [VIDEO]

The Toyota Motorsport GmbH will prove the performance of electric drive in one of the most demanding motor sport events in North America to demonstrate: the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado on 8 July 2012. This is the next big challenge after Toyota in August 2011 with the road-going electric vehicle EV P001 TMG on the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring, a new lap record had been set for electric vehicles, which has remained until today.

The electrical and electronics division of Toyota Motorsport GmbH has in recent months, the electric powertrain developed and improved both performance and durability further. This modified engine is the heart of the new TMG EV P002, which is at Pikes Peak race for a project of the Japanese company RK1 Inc. go to the start. At the wheel will sit a multiple-Japanese rally champion Fumio Nutahara.

The hill-climb, which begins at an altitude of 2,800 m and reaches the summit of 4,300 m, is an ideal environment to showcase the strengths of an electric powertrain.

Based on a Radical chassis, the TMG EV P002 has a predicted top speed of 240 km/h (149 mph) in Pikes Peak configuration, with combined maximum power of 350 kW from its two EVO axial flux motors. TMG’s high-performance electric powertrain maintains full power despite the thin atmosphere at high altitude while delivering 900 N·m (664 lb-ft) of torque through its single-speed gearing (gear ratio 2.5).

As a comparison, the EV P001 at the Nürburgring delivered a top speed of 260 km/h (162 mph) with 280 kW from its twin motors and 800 N·m (590 lb-ft) of torque.

The TMG EV P002 underwent a successful three-day testing session at the Paul Ricard circuit in southern France in May to verify car and powertrain performance.

The EV P002 is powered by a 42 kWh lithium ceramic battery—i.e., incorporating Evonik’s Separion ceramic separator and Litarion electrodes provided by the Evonik-Daimler joint venture Li-Tec Battery, with off-board DC charging.

Toyota will join electric competitors from a Mitsubishi works entry, Pikes Peak record-holder and last year's winner Nobuhiro Tajima and NASCAR veteren Boris Said in a 700hp 1995 BMW M3.

TMG EV P002 technical specifications

Performance

Top speed 240km/h (Pikes Peak configuration)

Maximum torque 900Nm

Maximum power 350kW

Maximum revs 5000rpm

Powertrain

Electric motor 2 axial flux

Inverter 2 x TMG inverters

Gear ratio 2.5

Transmission Single-reduction gearing

Battery Lithium ceramic

Battery capacity 42kWh

Charging technology Off-board DC charging

Dimensions

Length 4.10m

Height 1.04m

Width 1.79m

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