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Filed under: Motorsports, Nissan, Electric

Electric cars at the 2011 Pikes Peak Hill Climb

There were two electric cars on the entrant list for this year's Pikes Peak Hill Climb, and both set new records as they crossed the finish line at 14,110 feet.

First up was a 2011 Nissan Leaf, the first production electric car to compete in the event, and - by default - setting the initial record. Veteran Nissan off-road truck racing champion Chad Hord was behind the wheel, and completed the 12.42-mile course in a respectable 14 minutes 33 seconds. "The Leaf was great fun to drive up the mountain," said Hord after the race. "With the instant torque from the electric motor, we were able to jump out of the many slow corners, and the performance was very consistent from the bottom to the top since the electric motor wasn't affected by the high altitude near the summit like the gasoline powered cars."

Next up was the custom open-wheel electric car built by AC Propulsion featuring a high-performance version of the battery system found in the Mini E. The car broke Pikes Peak's electric vehicle record last year with a time of 13:17.575, and for 2011, Japanese driver Ikuo Hanawa handily surpassed that with a 12:20.084 run up the mountain.Electric cars set new records at Pikes Peak originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.


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[BRUTAL64]

[Sonic03SVT]

No way! Electric cars set records in the electric car category??

How the hell is this news?

[Shaolin Crane]

Yay, a golf cart race

[Vettezuki]

Originally Posted by Sonic03SVT

No way! Electric cars set records in the electric car category??

How the hell is this news?

Top Fuel Dragster sets new record in Top Fuel category. It's a measure of improvement within a category. I love combustion engine cars for the sounds and mechanical nature of them, but the era of superior performance electrics is a matter of when, not if.

[Sonic03SVT]

I wouldnt think they'd title an article "Gas engine car sets record at Pikes Peak" If there was a new record set. The fact that so much attention is paid to a technology like this for what it could one day be, rather than what it is, is what I dislike. People trumpet electric cars as some great shakes, when in fact, they are, as currently configured, nearly useless. The number of people for whom they are the best option is incredibly small, and their environmental benefits are debatable at best.


Get back to me with ten years more development and we will see where the technology is at.

[BRUTAL64]

OK, if your the first to ever run in a class -your make your own record. So when I make the first car to run on "Bubble Gum"- I'll set a new record.

[Vettezuki]

Originally Posted by Sonic03SVT

I wouldnt think they'd title an article "Gas engine car sets record at Pikes Peak" If there was a new record set. The fact that so much attention is paid to a technology like this for what it could one day be, rather than what it is, is what I dislike.

Gas engines are not novel or evolving nearly as rapidly as various electric car systems. It's interesting because it's newer tech.

People trumpet electric cars as some great shakes, when in fact, they are, as currently configured, nearly useless. The number of people for whom they are the best option is incredibly small, and their environmental benefits are debatable at best.

Personally I think the development and marketing of electric (mostly hybrids so far) has been a little off base. Where they'd shine is in smaller urban based environments, where the total mileage is not so high. Things like all electric minis and whatnot would be pretty cool and probably more effective/appealing. As for environment there are a few issues. While it's not a pressing issue today, oil is apparently finite, and there's these place China and India that have some rapidly growing deep thirst. Someone better be thinking ahead at least a little. Secondly, if there were a thoroughly laid out modern nuclear grid, your emissions would be absolutely zero.

Now corn based ethanol production, that's stupid.

[Vettezuki]

Originally Posted by BRUTAL64

Guys-- the funny part is - there is no record. This is the first time, so no matter what they did it was a "NEW" record.

"Next up was the custom open-wheel electric car built by AC Propulsion featuring a high-performance version of the battery system found in the Mini E. The car broke Pikes Peak's electric vehicle record last year with a time of 13:17.575, and for 2011, Japanese driver Ikuo Hanawa handily surpassed that with a 12:20.084 run up the mountain."

[BRUTAL64]

Originally Posted by Vettezuki

"Next up was the custom open-wheel electric car built by AC Propulsion featuring a high-performance version of the battery system found in the Mini E. The car broke Pikes Peak's electric vehicle record last year with a time of 13:17.575, and for 2011, Japanese driver Ikuo Hanawa handily surpassed that with a 12:20.084 run up the mountain."

Never mind.