Toyota Motorsport further cemented its status as the benchmark for fast electric vehicles by beating another record this week; this time its own record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
The TMG EV P002 got round the 14-mile circuit in just 7 minutes 22.3 seconds, slashing 25 seconds off of the previous electric record set by the company in August last year. Along with this record, the EV P002 set the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb record earlier in the year.
The electric motor powering the record-setter develops 470hp and 900Nm of torque, giving the EV P002 a top speed of 158mph.
Helping with the record success is the TMG DC Quick Charger, enabling charging for race cars when access to an AC power grid can be unreliable. Developed with Schneider Electric, the unit includes a 42kWh battery and is mounted in the back of a Toyota Hiace. After an overnight charge, the unit can provide a race car with servicing needs and a charging facility without the need for a permanent installation.
"Since last year, we have developed our electric powertrain to deliver more power, more consistently, over a longer distance by managing battery temperature," says Ludwig Zeller, TMG General Manager Electrics and Electronics. "We are also very proud of our DC Quick Charger and our partners at Schneider Electric, developing a solution to charge a race car anywhere in the world."
Toyota Motorsport has yet to reveal which record it's going after next, but we don't expect the company to settle on just these two.
James Giddings - 4 Oct 2012