Toyota looks to be making a real statement with their electric race car prototype, shattering the former Nurburgring electric car record set by Peugeot's EX1 Concept back in May. And when we say shatter, we really mean obliterate, claiming a time of 7:47.79 compared to Peugeot's already-impressive 9:01.3. To put that into perspective, that's a lap time comparable to some of the world's most sought after sports cars like Nissan's GT-R and Chevy's Corvette ZR1.
It may also seem that this electric car prototype came out of nowhere but is actually a creation from TMG, the independently run organization within Toyota that used to build Toyota's F1 race cars. Naturally, all the technology and know-how to shatter records is already in play, with TMG applying its experience with the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) used in its original F1 cars towards the electric race car prototype.
A pair of electric motors sourced from Evo Electric power the prototype, giving it a combined 375-hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. Combine that with a 2,138-lb race car and you've got a 0-60 mph speed of 3.9 seconds and a stop speed of 161-mph.
This could be groundbreaking in terms of research and development towards formidable electric car performance. There is plenty to be learned from a car running a lap on the Nurburgring from your traditional car, imagine the data these engineers just gathered with a lap of electric goodness.
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Toyota Shatters Nurburgring Electric Car Record on AutoGuide.com
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