While everyone is prepared to go all out with gasoline on the upcoming 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, there are a few of them who are taking the greener route. One of the small but growing contestants is Toyota, where they had lined up the EV P002 to topple the current Pikes Peak record.
Back in 2012, the exact same car set an impressive time of 10 minutes 15.380 seconds, but the car has seen massive improvements ever since. And for the 2013 Hill Climb, they are looking forward in beating the 2012 time record of 9 minutes 46.164 seconds set by Rhys Millen in a Hyundai Genesis Coupe.
The EV P002 is powered by a pair of electric motors, giving it 536-horsepower and a massive 1,627 lb-ft of torque. While the top speed for this electrifying racer is only 230 km/h, it is totally not a setback as it also holds the electric record around the Nurburgring’s Nordschleife. Piloting this machine will be Pikes Peak veteran Rod Millen.
The Radical-based chassis had undergo some more aerodynamic and chassis upgrades from the Toyota Racing Development team as soon as it touched down in America last month. The car now has a three-fold increase in downforce and a better stopping power from a new carbon ceramic braking system.
“We are very excited to return to Pikes Peak alongside our Toyota colleagues from United States. The TMG EV P002 has a perfect history of three records from three attempts, none of which have been beaten, so we have high standards to maintain,” said Claudia Brasse, TMG Executive Coordinator Strategic EV Development.
