Gentlemen, Charge Your Batteries
When we wrote about Mitsubishi’s electric attack on the hill at Pike’s Peak, Toyota did not want to confirm rumors that WRC rally driver Fumio Nutahara would join the race on Toyota’s behalf in a TMG EV P001, the same that set a new electric lap record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. They were right. The rumor was off by a digit.
It now turns out that Nutahara will drive the newly built TMG EV P002 with an updated and more powerful electric powertrain. Based on a Radical chassis, the TMG EV P002 has a predicted top speed of 240km/h in Pikes Peak configuration, with combined maximum power of 350kW from its two axial flux motors.
Now wait what Monster Tajima will take to the Peak. The race will take place on July 8.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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I have long opined that the way to develop electric/hybrid vehicles is the same way we developed ICE vehicles: Private innovation spurred on by competition, NOT government subsidy of R&D.... We had races like the Indy 500 serve as spurs to invention and innovation by creating a commercial enterprising activity (the race)which became institutionalized entertainment. The natural competition for fame (for the drivers) and commercial advantage (for the sponsors and engineering firms) drove technological improvement farther, more quickly and far more efficiently than with government sponsorship. The 'problem' is, auto racing is a cumulative 'been there, done that' activity, so consumers of the sport, already sated in their desire for thrills, chills, spills, speed and danger by F1, IndyCar, NASCAR, and NHRA, would be unlikely find much entertainment by watching racing Pria, Volts, Leafs or Insights.
Pikes Peak and drag racing are great ways to improve electric (or any propulsion) system. Obviously these events take tremendous power and put heavy loads on the vehicles. We will learn a lot from those that survive, those with great times, and from those with power left over.