Drive eO has officially presented its 1367 hp electric
race car. The eO PP03 has been racing in the 93rd running of the 2015 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Project director Kristaps Dambis
unveiled the powerful electric vehicle that will be piloted by former winner
and record holder Rhys Millen. The target is to complete the twenty kilometre track in a time below nine minutes, which would result in a new
record in the EV division and a possible first overall win for an electric car.
The Latvian based engineering company specialised in the design and
manufacture of electric and hybrid electric prototype vehicles, has built an
extensive track record in electric racing. They were the first to enter and
complete the demanding Dakar Rally with a hybrid electric vehicle and created
two all-electric race cars to compete in the Pikes Peak International Hill
Climb. The eO PP03 is a result of ongoing development in an attempt to push the
boundaries of technology.
The 1020 kW strong all-wheel drive vehicle is propelled by six
YASA-400 motors with in-house developed eO controllers. The 50 kWh lithium-ion
battery pack, 2160 Nm of peak torque, a top speed of 260 km/h and
a kerb weight of just 1150 kg are some other stunning specifications. The race
car went through an extensive test programme recently to tweak the electric
drive train to perfection.
The eO PP03 will be in the hands of Rhys Millen. Born
in New Zealand, moved to the United States of America as a teenager, the
42-year-old is an experienced race car driver in rally, drift series and hill
climbs. After setting multiple records, class wins and even the overall victory
in 2012, Millen is more than ready to tackle the 156 turns to the 4,301 metre the summit of the Pikes Peak mountain in Colorado Springs.
