1
NEWS
Toyota eclipses its own Nurburgring electric-car lap
Japanese car-making giant returns to the Nordschleife to set a new benchmark for electric-powered carsNurburgring records are usually the preserve of Nissan GT-Rs, Corvette ZR1s and the like, but Toyota recently took to the Green Hell with a battery-powered car and came away with an impressive 7:22.329 lap, beating its own record for electric cars set last year.
As you can see from the video, the TMG EV P002 prototype scoots around the ’Ring in eerie silence, with only a whine from the electric motors and squeals from the rubber providing aural accompaniment to the footage.
The man you see applying liberal doses of opposite lock is German wheelman Jochen Krumbach, who is renowned as something of a Nürburgring specialist.
Toyota had originally claimed the record in August last year with its TMG EV P001, which posted a lap of 7:47.794 around the 20.8km Nordschleife circuit, eclipsing the previous lap record (9:01.338, held by the Peugeot EX1) by more than 70 seconds.
Based on a Radical open-topped chassis, the TMG EV P002 is powered by two electric motors and a 42-kWh lithium-ceramic battery pack. Combined, they produce 350kW and 900Nm, propelling the P002 to a top speed of just under 250km/h.
Its benchmark of 7min 22sec puts the electric sportster in elite company that includes the likes of the Corvette ZR1 (7:19), Porsche 911 GT2 RS (7:24) and Nissan GT-R (7:24), so it clearly doesn’t hang around.
It’s worth pointing out though that the P002 is purely a prototype that isn’t destined for production, unlike the Audi R8 e-tron, which earlier this year set a PB of 8:09.099 at the Nordschleife.
The R8 e-tron will be sold in limited numbers in selected markets, accompanied by a pricetag that will comfortably eclipse the current V10-powered R8 flagship.
In addition to posting the new record, Toyota Motorsports unveiled an equally fast charging system for its electric cars. The TMG DC Quick Charger was designed for race teams, who can use it to charge cars in the pits or at roadside without the need for an outlet.
The compact charger fits in the back of a small van and includes the same 42-kWh battery pack as the P002 car. That battery does need to be charged through a conventional outlet, but then it can be plugged into the Quick Charger apparatus to make a mini mobile charging station.
Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...
Share this article
Written byGautam Sharma
See all articlesOur team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Stay up to dateBecome a carsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Subscribe todayRelated articles
Disclaimer
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Contact
Advertise with us
Local marketplaces
International marketplaces
Scan to download the carsales app
Want more info? Here’s our app landing page
App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo
are trademarks of Google LLC.