Quick-charging station powers EV race winner

Toyota Motorsport GmbH, the engineering services supplier pioneering motorsport-related electrical vehicle (EV) technology, has been provided with a customised electric vehicle EVlink DC quick-charging station from Schneider Electric.

The charging station was recently used to charge Toyota’s TMG EV P002, which recently competed in the electric title in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado, a 1440 m climb on grades averaging 7%.

Driven by Rod Millen, a multiple record-setter at Pikes Peak, the TMG EV P002 came fourth in its class. At last year’s event, TMG EV P002 driver Fumio Nutahara took out the electric division with a record-breaking time of 10 minutes 15.38 seconds. The vehicle also broke its own record with a lap of 7 minutes 22.329 seconds at the Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany in 2012.

The customised Schneider Electric quick charger, designed by the EVlink Tender & Project team in collaboration with TMG engineers, is a unique solution developed for the specific needs of the car that allows it to charge without a grid connection, from the mountainside.

The EVlink DC quick charger is mounted in a Toyota HiAce and includes a 42 kWh lithium-ion battery, which charges directly from the AC power grid. After an overnight charge, it is an independent source of power that is able to quickly deliver high levels of power to the TMG EV P002 without additional installation or infrastructure.

Schneider Electric says it intends to play a major role in delivering charging solutions that adapt to emerging EV models, evolve with the business of its clients and support their environmental commitment.