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2012 Team APEV with Monster Sport Pikes Peak EV Challenge

The Return of Monster Tajima with an Electrifying New Challenge

 

After only five weeks from full containment of one of the largest wildfires in the history of Colorado, Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima is returning to his second home - Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs. Tajima's Monster Sport is bringing a newly-designed electric hill climb car called the 2012 E-Runner Pikes Peak Special. It was developed by Tajima's elite team of engineers specifically for the 90th running of Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Tajima is teaming up with the Association for the Promotion of Electric Vehicles (APEV) and its chairman, Souichiro Fukutake. "Fukutake-san has always encouraged our project, even when it was only an idea in my head."

 

Although Tajima admits he thought the race would be cancelled this year, he says he is ready. His new car looks nothing less than revolutionary. Its drive system is powered purely by electricity, and its sleek, slender shape looks purposeful. The cockpit looks like something out of a fighter jet. Tajima explains his decision to go with the new car. "I will be entering this year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with my new electric race car. The reason I made this change is that I would like to help save our beautiful planet earth for our children."

 

The primary goal of APEV is to reduce CO2 emissions and other harmful greenhouse gases by promoting cleaner electric vehicles (EV) all over the world. Tajima's new car fits perfectly into APEV's mission, as the climb to the summit of the 14,110 foot (4,300m) mountain is the most famous in the world. Cars and motorcycles race up the course at terrifying speeds, sometimes pointed straight at the sky with little margin for error. Tajima is here to make a point: "My intention here is to break my own record with this EV hill climb car and show the world that EVs can be radical and very, very fast."

 

Tajima concludes, "I am very happy to be back here. Let's all enjoy the race!"

Soichiro Fukutake, Chairman of APEV, decided to take on the challenge of battling global warming and preserving the environment by forming a Pikes Peak EV Challenge Committee. They will be facing arguably the toughest hill climb in the world as "Team APEV with Monster Sport." 

 

Besides attempting to be the fastest one up to the summit of Pikes Peak, the primary goal of "Team APEV with Monster Sport" is to inspire the general public to use clean energy. APEV is excited about this new opportunity to educate the general public about using clean energy and hopes "Team APEV with Monster Sport" is successful in their mission at Pikes Peak, Colorado, USA.

Organization committee

Pikes Peak EV Challenge Committee

Committee Member

APEV [Association for the Promotion of Electric Vehicle]
TAJIMA MOTOR CORPORATION Co.,Ltd.

Chairman

Soichiro Fukutake (APEV chairman) - Benesse Holdings, Inc. Chairman-

Members

Yasunobu Suzuki (NTN Corporation CEO)
Nobuhiro Tajima (APEV Chief Commissioner ) - Chairman and CEO TAJIMA MOTOR CORPORATION Co.,Ltd.-
Kohei Kusaka (APEV Commissioner) -The University of Tokyo School of Engineering: Specially approved visiting professor - Hiroshi Fujiwara (APEV Commissioner)
- CEO, Nano-Optonics Energy -
Takahiro Suzuki (APEV Adviser) - Nagasaki Industrial labor Policy Bureau EV & ITS group supervisor-

Executive director

Mamoru Shiiki (APEV Executive director)

Executive Member

Ikuko Tanaka (APEV vice director)
Tomoyuki Ishikura (Tajima Motor Corporation PR group director)

Race project

Participation race

Race name : The 90th Pikes Peak international hill climb Place : Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA Race schedule : 7th -12th August 2012

Participation car

Monster sport E-RUNNER Pikes Peak special New development prototype EV (electric car) racing car Development, production : Tajima motor Corporation Co., Ltd.

[Monster sport E-RUNNER Pikes Peak special SPEC]
Make TAJIMA Motor Corporation
Body Chassis Aluminum space frame
Panels Carbon fiber composite
Motor 2x Liquid cooled motor
Battery MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES "MLiX" Lithium-ion
Inverter RINEHART MOTION SYSTEMS LLC
Drive train [Type]All wheel drive
Differential Front/Rear: Hydraulic Controlled
Drive Shaft NTN Constant velocity joints
Suspension [Type]Front/Rear:Double wishbone
Brake Disc/Caliper Front/Rear:Dia.370mm ventilated/8 pot
Facing Front/ Rear: Winmax
Tire&Wheel Tire Front/Rear: 295/40-20 FALKEN ZIEX S/TZ01
Dimensions Overall:5500L x 1950W x 1300H mm
*Included front and rear
wing Wheelbase 2700mm


Driver

Nobuhiro Tajima
Pikes Peak international hill climb Defending champion, the world record holder (9 min 51 sec 278) Seven times of overall victory (in 1995 2006 through 2011)

Team

General manager : Soichiro Fukutake
(APEV chairman- Benesse Holdings, Inc. Chairman-) Cheerleader : Yasunobu Suzuki (NTN Corporation Chairman and CEO).
Team manager : Paul Wilding
(Monster sport team manager)
Chief engineer : Naonobu Tajima
(TAJIMA MOTOR CORPORATION Co.,Ltd. President)
Chief EV system engineer : Masahide Nagano
(TAJIMA MOTOR CORPORATION Co.,Ltd Engineering department EV project leader)
Chief mechanic : Makoto Waga
(TAJIMA MOTOR CORPORATION Co.,Ltd Experiment department) Public information : Tomoyuki Ishikura
(TAJIMA MOTOR CORPORATION Co.,Ltd Public relations department)

 

About Race

Not so long after the birth of automotive industry, in 1897, the first hill climb event was held near Nice in France.Hill climbing is one of the oldest forms of motorsport.
This competition where drivers run their cars up to the top of a mountain attracts men and women of all ages because of its simplicity. Hill climbing events are often held at beautiful locations where you can enjoy magnificent landscapes. The races are usually runned on public roads. These races have a unique and friendly atmosphere despite their toughness. Though it is not popular in Japan, there are many events of this kind held in Europe or the USA and these events are very popular among the public.

The most famous hill climbing event in the world is Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, also known as the "Race to the Clouds", which is held on the scenic road of the Pikes Peak mountain in Colorado Springs, US. This competition began in 1916 and gathered competitors from all over the world, and it has become the hill climb event which attracts most people. It is also the second world oldest motorsport event after the Indy 500 which started in 1911.

Drivers run their cars for about 20km to the goal at 4300 m above the sea level. The difference in height between the start and the finish line is over 1400 m. Many internationally famous drivers including rally champions have challenged this peak.




Contact

Team web site/ Social media Team official website
URL:http://www.apev.jp/teamapev
official Facebook page (Japanese)
URL: http://www.facebook.com/teamapev

Pikes Peak EV Challenge Committee

[Executive Member] Ikuko Tanaka (APEV)
E-mail : tanaka@apev.jp
Tomoyuki Ishikura (TAJIMA MOTOR CORPORATION Co.,Ltd.)
E-mail : pr@tajima-motor.com