Pikes Peak International Hillclimb runs this weekend, but the stunning performance of electric vehicles in the past few years may be significantly less this year.
A one sentence refresher is likely in order. Cars run a 12.42 mile road, with 156 turns, up Pikes Peak one at a time, with the fastest in each class being declared the winner.
This event has been a well publicized event, not part of any series, and more of a free for all. Winners include Indy 500 winners, Formula car drivers from Europe, World Rally Champions, off road champions, world class motorcycle racers and more. The fastest time for the climb had steadily decreased until nine time (in a row, no less) WRC champ Sébastien Loeb hustled up the mountain in 8:13.878 on pre-heated tires in 2013. No one has been close since, and the rules have changed to disallow mounting heated tires immediately before the start.
Electric Vehicles have been emerging as an overall competitor, finishing 2nd and 3rd overall in 2014, and 1st and 2nd in 2015. Last year, Rhys Miller, and off-road racer and rally driver, finished 2nd in his e0 PP100 with a time of 8:57.118, only six seconds behind one of Europe's fastest long distance drivers Romain Dumas, who took 8:51.445. EV's finished second, third (Yamano) and fifth (Tajima).
But 2017 doesn't have the impressive drivers and the really impressive development teams that have appeared in recent years. Rhys Millen is not driving an electric; Drive e0 is not entered. Rhys will compete in a gas powered Hyundai Genesis coupe of his own build, and likely will be very competitive. Nobuhiro (Monster) Tajima won't be there with the Rimac Automobili built E-Runner Concept_One, due to other committments. Testuya Yamano, third last year won't be present either. There are some older entrants with Mitsubishi MiEV Evo III and Toyota TMG EV P002, but they also have chosen not to compete this year. Blake Fuller, (EV Production vehicle record holder from last year) was announced in a Tesla S P90D, but has withdrawn.
The lack of entries appears to be the result of the lack of large sums of further development money. EV's have proven competitive, so much so that Hill Climb organizers have eliminated fuel/power specific divisions of classes after the 2017 race. With several ultra competitive drives in the past few years, EV's are a proven powertrain. With the inability to make headlines by smashing the overall time record, some see little reward for serious cash outlay. It will be several years before anyone hopes to be competitive with the 8:13 time of Sébastien Loeb in 2013. He is truly a world class driver; he had a world class chassis and engine. He was able to preheat the tires in ovens, and mount them within 60 seconds of starting the course.
EV hopes fall to Robin Shute, driving an FF 91, a rookie in an unproven car from Faraday Future, a Nevada company who does not appear to be able to produce real cars.
More after Sunday's race.
