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Toyota takes on Pikes Peak with electric racer

Electric Toyota racer will take on the Pikes Peak hillclimb as part of a wider project to develop electric racing cars.

Toyota will pit its electric drivetrain against the Pikes Peak hill climb on 8th July.  The TMG EV P002 (Toyota Motorsport GmbH electric vehicle prototype 2, presumably) will take on the 156 curves as the course climbs from its starting point 2,800 metres above sea level to the finish at 4,300 metres.

Based on a Radical chassis the TMG EV P002 has a theoretical top speed of 240km/h in Pikes Peak configuration.  It has two axial flux motors that provide 257hp and 900Nm.  Unlike internal combustion engines those numbers should be unaffected by low air pressure at high altitude.  Competing at Pikes Peak is part of a project from Japanese company RK1 Inc. Driving the EV P002 is Japanese rally champion Fumio Nutahara.

Entering Pikes Peak is intended to show TMG's commitment to developing electric powertrain technology for motorsport.  Last year the road legal TMG EV P001 took the electric vehicle lap record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife.  The work is described as 'laying the foundations for the future of high-performance and motorsport cars'.

In preparation for July the car completed three days of testing at Paul Ricard circuit in southern France in May.

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Published on June 8, 2012