TMG goes electric for Pikes Peak
2012-06-11 14:28
NO NEED TO BREATHE: Toyota's TMG EV P002 electric racer will shrug off the high altitude of the Pikes Peak mountain climb.
Toyota Motorsport will show off its high-performance electric powertrain technology at one of North America’s most demanding motorsport events: the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado.
Back in 2011, TMG set an electric lap record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife with the road-legal TMG EV P001 car, a record which still stands today.
Vehicle specifications.
TMG’s advanced electric and electronic department has spent the past months developing on an updated electric powertrain, which is more powerful and more durable than its predecessor and it's at heart of the new TMG EV P002 which will race at Pikes Peak.
240km/h PREDICTED
It's all part of a project from Japanese company RK1 and multiple Japanese rally champion Fumio Nutahara will drive the car with is prominent Yokohama branding on July 8 2012.
The TMG EV P002 is based on a Radical chassis and has a predicted top speed of 240km/h in Pikes Peak configuration, with combined maximum power of 350kW from its two axial flux motors.
The hill-climb, which begins at 2800m and reaches the summit at 4300m, is an ideal environment to showcase the strengths of an electric powertrain. TMG’s high-performance electric powertrain maintains full power despite the thin atmosphere while delivering an impressive 900Nm through its single-speed gearing.
'GREAT SHOWCASE'
The TMG EV P002 underwent a successful three-day test at the Paul Ricard circuit in southern France in May to verify car and powertrain performance.
Ludwig Zeller, general manager for electric & electronics, said: “Pikes Peak is a great showcase for TMG’s electric powertrain technology. We already proved at the Nürburgring that TMG is leading the way in developing such powertrains for motorsport and this is another sign of our commitment to this technology.
"TMG wants to be increasingly involved in electric motorsport and we believe our powertrain technology is an industry-leading combination of performance, durability and packaging. The technology is still developing but through projects such as thisTMG is laying a foundation for the future of high-performance and motorsport cars."
