TOYOTA ON COURSE TO TOP PIKES PEAK RECORD

Toyota is aiming to defend its electric record at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb at the end of the month with its EV P002 race car showing promising pace in official testing at the weekend.

The two-day session at the world-famous course in Colorado ran smoothly for the team from Toyota Motorsport (TMG) and Toyota Racing Development USA (TRD). A half-course run was made each day and the combined results from these indicate an overall time better than the EV record the car set last year.

Rob Millen, a multiple Pikes Peak record-setter, was at the wheel as fine tuning was carried out on the car’s balance, braking, traction control and cooling, and tyre options were evaluated.

Last year the Toyota set a new EV record of 10 minutes 15.380 seconds. Data from this run has been used by engineers at TMG’s Cologne technology centre to improve the electric powertrain. Motor speed and torque have been increased and the system’s operating parameters have been tuned to better suit the demands of the 12.42-mile Pikes Peak tack. The unit now delivers 400kW and 1,200Nm of torque.

Since the car arrived in the USA last month, the TRD team has made aerodynamic and other upgrades to the chassis. With the benefit of a three-fold increase in downforce and a new carbon ceramic braking system, the more powerful TMG EV P002 is ready to take on the increasingly competitive electric class. Its challenge will be supported by a pioneering off-board, battery-to-battery charging system, which provides a reliable power source at the Pikes Peak circuit, where there is no reliable local grid connection.

TMG EV P002 Technical Specifications