Those crazy guys at Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG). Not content to rest on laurels garnered by their record-setting assault at Nürburgring last year, they've been working on improving the TMG EV P001 – henceforth to be known as the TMG EV P002 – in preparation of a bid for glory at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
While it's still packing a pair of EVO Electrics axial flux motors within its Radical-sourced chassis, the power has now been pumped up to 350 kW (469.4 horsepower) with 900 Nm (663.8 pound-feet) of torque. Geared specifically for Pikes Peak, however, the top speed has been slightly reduced to 240km/h (149.1 miles per hour). The battery is again of the lithium ceramic variety and holds 42 kWhs.
Whether that is enough for rally driver Fumio Nutahara to hold off a field that includes the likes of Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima's entry, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV Evolution, or current electric class record holder Ikuo Hanawa remains to be seen.
One thing is clear: This event is becoming a serious must-do event on the electric vehicle racing calender.
