Earlier this month, Toyota took two hybrid supercars to the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, and had pulled into the lead until an accident with a Ferrari took them out of the running. That doesn't mean Toyota is done showing off their electric prowess, though - you'll see another Toyota model at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado this July.
The TMG EV P002 that Fumio Nutahara will pilot during the Race to the Clouds is powered by two axial flux motors capable of producing 350 kW, and can go as fast as 150 mph. This is the same powertrain that set the electric vehicle record at the Nürburgring earlier this year.
So, why Pikes Peak? Well, altitude (14,100 feet at the top) certainly affects an engine's power. But Toyota is out to prove that dramatic altitude changes like this don't effect the constant 663.8 ft-lbs torque from the powerplant, and their EV will be at its best regardless of its atmospheric height. And, as the company explained in a recent press release, "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."1
They go on to say, "Electric powertrain technology in motorsport is still in its development phase but through projects like this one, TMG is laying the foundations for the future of high-performance and motorsport cars."2
That said: don't expect that Toyota's struggle at Le Mans this year will stop them from entering their hybrid TS030 into more races in the future - we're expecting a lot more electric power from this Japanese automaker at racing events in the years to come.
Be sure to stay tuned with us here at Dayton Toyota, 2291 US Route 130 S. Brunswick, NJ 08810 for more news Toyota hybrid and racing news! And feel free to contact us with any questions about this or another emerging Toyota story.
Source: 1 http://www.gizmag.com/toyota-electric-powertain-pikes-peak/22870/
