Toyota sets EV lap record at Nurburgring

[GeekEV]

TMG built its EV P001 car especially for the record attempt. At just over 2,100 pounds, the EV P001 is heavy for a race car, but 770 pounds of that weight is a lithium ion ceramic battery pack, rated at 41.5 kilowatt hours. That power gives the EV P001 a top speed of 160 mph and a zero to 62 mph time of 3.9 seconds. The car's two electric motors deliver 375 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque.

Read more: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-20099308-48/toyota-sets-ev-lap-record-at-nurburgring/#ixzz1WYLCuta0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[TEG]

http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/6165-Toyota-s-electric-race-car" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[TomT]

It's about a minute slower than the SR8 LM. That is an eternity in racing... Still, not bad, considering.

TMG built its EV P001 car especially for the record attempt. At just over 2,100 pounds, the EV P001 is heavy for a race car, but 770 pounds of that weight is a lithium ion ceramic battery pack, rated at 41.5 kilowatt hours. That power gives the EV P001 a top speed of 160 mph and a zero to 62 mph time of 3.9 seconds. The car's two electric motors deliver 375 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque.

 

[LakeLeaf]

A little different sounding then standing next to the track at Laguna Seca when the Formula 1 cars are accelerating!

 

[TRONZ]

It's about a minute slower than the SR8 LM. That is an eternity in racing... Still, not bad, considering.

"They lapped the Nurnburgring in 7:47, faster then a Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, Wiesmann GT MF5, Porsche 997 GT3 RS and a BMW M3 GTS!"

Yes. Not bad.

 

[ttweed]

There ain't a whole lot of Toyota in that car: "...TMG extends its thanks to its partners in this achievement: Aguti created and implemented the livery concept while rational motion integrated the electric powertrain, traction battery and control strategies. EVO Electric motor technology delivered the power. The TMG EV P001 is based on a Radical chassis as modified by TMG for e-WOLF." So what did Toyota do except for putting up some $$$ and modifying the chassis? Sounds like e-WOLF did all the heavy lifting: http://www.ewolf-car.com/en/alpharace/alpha1-srf.html

Maybe this will stimulate some more EV-racecar development competition among the major brands, though. That would be a good thing.

TT

 

[mitch672]

There ain't a whole lot of Toyota in that car: "...TMG extends its thanks to its partners in this achievement: Aguti created and implemented the livery concept while rational motion integrated the electric powertrain, traction battery and control strategies. EVO Electric motor technology delivered the power. The TMG EV P001 is based on a Radical chassis as modified by TMG for e-WOLF." So what did Toyota do except for putting up some $$$ and modifying the chassis? Sounds like e-WOLF did all the heavy lifting.

Maybe this will stimulate some more EV-racecar development competition among the major brands, though. That would be a good thing.

TT

Maybe someone will rip out the motor controller from a Leaf and substitute a Zilla & Hairball

http://www.manzanitamicro.com/products?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=89&category_id=33" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

who's going to have the first racing Leaf?

 

[cwerdna]

FWIW, TMG put up some pics at http://www.flickr.com/photos/toyotamotorsport" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

 

[wmontalvo]

The youtube video with the run:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR8NwR0XZ-s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[wmontalvo]

The acceleration on the straightways (particularly the *short* straightways) is absolutely *thrilling* to watch!

 

[TRONZ]

The youtube video with the run:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR8NwR0XZ-s" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My 9 year old son has gotten totally obsessed with cars and the Nurburgring. This is thanks to PS3/Grand Tourismo 5 and pretty much all he talks about these days. He is Level 37 and only has the two 24 Hour of Nurburgring races left in the whole game (yes they ARE 24 hour races).

He really enjoyed the video and kinda freaked me out that he really knows where each and every corner goes. Right when he sat down I told him this EV race car did a 7:47. He says, "wow, thats pretty fast!". Then I asked him his fasted lap of the ring... a 5:54 in his Red Bull X1. Alrighty then. :roll:

 

[ttweed]

Then I asked him his fasted lap of the ring... a 5:54 in his Red Bull X1. Alrighty then. :roll:

He must be good! 5:54 would be an insanely fast lap--the best time I have ever heard of was a 6:11 in a Porsche 956. Of course the biggest difference between doing it on a simulator and in meatspace is the chance of dying! :shock: Indeed, the guy who set that record at the 'Ring, Stefan Bellof, died in a 956 while racing at Spa a few years later.

TT

 

[TRONZ]

Then I asked him his fasted lap of the ring... a 5:54 in his Red Bull X1. Alrighty then. :roll:

He must be good! 5:54 would be an insanely fast lap--

+1 on that whole dying thing vs a sim.

The X1 was designed by bored F1 engineers that got to throw out any rules they didn't like. The car was sponsored by Red Bull and meant to ask "how fast can a car really go?" Its a 525Kg fan car with over 1555Hp. The X1 is almost impossible to drive (for me) but real F1 drivers love to play around with it. Also, the 5:54 was for the whole track. The portion that Toyota did is a 4:15 for Zak. Here is a 3:18 X1 Lap Record on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfBQfPJbc58" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[ttweed]

The X1 was designed by bored F1 engineers that got to throw out any rules they didn't like. The car was sponsored by Red Bull and meant to ask "how fast can a car really go?" Its a 525Kg fan car with over 1555Hp.

Holy crap! I haven't been keeping up with GT5--have only played a little with the old prologue version. That car and lap time is a fantasy, but an exciting one, indeed. Imagine if F1 was unconcerned w/ driver (and fan) safety and had followed the old CanAm ethic of "run what you brung" for all these years with no rules and restrictions--we might actually have something like that X1 in the flesh these days as the pinnacle of motorsports. But few mortals would be able to drive it, and many would have died trying during its development. In anything but a "Mad Max" culture, the respect for preservation of life would never allow such a thing to happen, and it obviously hasn't in the real world, only in a virtual one. The practical application of the aero downforce necessary for such speeds as the X1 would achieve require billiard-table smooth and level tracks, and not a single mistake by the driver. As soon as the ground effects were lost or disrupted by a bump, a rise in the road, or cutting across a curb on an apex, the car would be airborne immediately and flipping through space like a twig in a hurricane. :shock:

The elevation changes at the 'Ring could never be negotiated at the rate possible in that game. It is totally ignoring the reality of aero limitations. Adrian Newey is an aero genius, but even he cannot overcome the laws of physics.

TT

 

[TRONZ]

You can build your own tracks in GT5. A few weeks ago some kid built a track and put out a call for X1 drivers in the Lobby (online play). He did ALOT of elevation changes and pretty much a full on jump in a fast sweeper. It was total chaos with 30 X1's joining the Air Force at the same time. It was a very popular race with pre-teen boys judging from all the online chatter. Those X1's fly like planes when they are inverted.

GT5 is supposed to get a big update soon. We have the iMiev and Tesla already. Hoping for a LEAF.