Monster EV to attack Pikes Peak

Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima to go electric at the Peak this year

Long time readers of Living LEAF know of our penchant toward motorsports activities. Not only is racing fun, but it provides an outstanding platform to explore the boundaries of engineering. Which in this case, is a very good thing, when those boundaries surround an electric vehicle.

Mr. Tajima, should you happen to cross his path on a day other than a race day, would most likely not engender a second glance. Certainly, no one would mistake him for the fastest man to ever drive up Pike’s Peak. That would be some brash youngster with longish hair waving in the wind. Mr. Tajima set the fastest ascent time up the hill in 2011 at the age of 61. With not much hair at all.

Nobuhiro Tajima

Of course, those corporate mug shots never do anyone justice. This next photo is the image that we prefer when we think of the Monster.

Photo courtesy of Super Street

By the way, Mr. Tajima gained that nickname as one of the most dominant dirt racers ever – on two wheels or four, since he was 18.

But to get back to our story, this year Mr. Tajima is working with the Association for the Promotion of Electric Vehicles (APEV) on a full battery electric race car to take the overall crown at Pikes Peak this July. With Mr. Tajima at the wheel. We were hoping to find results of the press conference, but as of yet, have found nothing. So we must rely on the pre-press conference publicity which announces several aims of the program:

• Win the race
• Improve environmental awareness generally
• Provide aid to the 2011 Japan earthquake disaster areas and victims
• Create environmental awareness programs for children
• Involve Japan’s senior citizens in environmental awareness projects

With a list of goals that looks like this, we wish everyone involved all the best in accomplishing them.