Yokohama’s Team Geolandar Fielding Electric Vehicle at Pikes Peak

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is arguably the world’s best-known hill climb event, and in 2009 Yokohama Rubber is fielding an electric vehicle in the event. The company’s Team Geolandar off-road racing team will race to the 4,301-metre summit on July 19 in a self-created vehicle equipped with Geolandar H/T-S tyres.

The Japanese manufacturer refers to the Colorado, USA based event as the “Yokohama Team Geolandar EV Off-Road Challenge,” and states its aim in participating is to contribute towards meeting its environmental responsibilities. In this instance Yokohama wishes to promote awareness of the current and future potential of electric vehicles and gain real world experience to help it develop electric vehicle tyres suitable for use in severe off-road conditions.

The Yokohama electric racing buggy will be driven by Mr. Ikuo Hanawa, who Yokohama notes is a strong performer in world-class off-road races. Commenting on the choice of tyre, the company says the Geolandar H/T-S features improved durability and enhanced fuel economy through reduced rolling resistance. Real world credentials for the Geolander SUV tyre include various off-road races including the Asia Cross Country Rally and the Dakar Rally.

First held in 1916, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb covers a twenty-kilometre course beginning at an altitude of 2,862 metres. The race, comments Yokohama, is famous for the severity of its conditions, with rapidly changing temperatures and weather, a combination of tarmac and gravel surfaces, and 156 curves. This year, in all classes, more than 200 automobiles and motorcycles will compete. Yokohama concludes by commenting that, with this race, Team Geolandar launches a new push into full-scale off-road racing, where it is confident it will continue to demonstrate the performance of its products and accumulate knowledge and experience to improve them further.