2023-11-01 05:00:35
” Very important “. This is how Toyota describes one of the battlefields where its future electric sports car announced by the appetizing FT-Se concept at the last Tokyo show will be lined up.
Beyond the challenge of designing a high-performance electric sports car around a new generation of batteries, Toyota has indeed highlighted the importance of a lap time on the Nürburgring. “The Nordschleife is our target for this vehicle,” he told TopGear.com chief engineer Fumihiko Kazama.
“Alas, I cannot tell you what time we are aiming for, but we will send a prototype to the Nürburgring. »
Managing to properly cool the battery under such heavy loads will continue to be a challenge. He mentions the imposing air intakes on the front and the new third-generation battery system, which will power an electric motor on each axle. Four-wheel drive, therefore, but with a rear-wheel drive type, because some customers apparently only want to drift [coupables, votre honneur, NDLR].
“Cooling the battery at the Nürburgring will be very difficult,” he continues. The temperature of the battery will be higher as the circuit is longer. Cooling will be crucial to the performance of this car. For his speed. »
Speaking of speed, a few details perhaps? “We haven’t measured the acceleration, but my estimate is around 3 seconds for 0 to 100 km/h. The top speed will flirt with 250 km/h. »
However, he will not tell us anything regarding the weight they are targeting on the technical sheet, limiting himself to confirming that future batteries will be lighter. The structure will combine aluminum, steel and carbon fiber. “The challenge will be to make it both light and rigid,” summarizes Hazama-san.
Tackling the Nürburgring will also require a lot of work on aerodynamics. The batteries mounted low in the center of the car and the absence of an exhaust line will provide a flat floor. “We can fit in a big broadcaster. Much of the aero downforce comes from the flat bottom. »
And where will the competition come from? “The next generation of Porsche Cayman will be an electric vehicle, so perhaps that will be one of our targets,” notes Hazma-san. An electric duel for honor between Porsche and Toyota on the Ring? We take !
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#Toyota #FTSe #Porsche #Cayman #crosshairs
