Toyota Enters Hybrid For World Endurance Championship

Toyota Racing makes its 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) debut in the Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the second round of the series, using a hybrid coupe. 

The TS030 Hybrid LMP1 race car is Toyota's successor to the TS010 and TS020 racers that participated at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the 1990s, achieving podium success.

Two of the new TS (Toyota Sport) race cars will also participate at Le Mans in June with participation in further rounds to be confirmed.

Driver lineup for these two races includes Le Mans winner Alexander Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre and Kazuki Nakajima in one car; discussions are still ongoing to finalize the driver line-up for the second car. In addition, Andrea Caldarelli of Pescara, Italy has joined the Cologne, Germany-based Toyota Racing as a junior driver.

Toyota is the the first manufacturer to enter the WEC using a hybrid system; there are currently more than 3.5-million road-going Toyota hybrid vehicles sold worldwide.

The THS-R (Toyota Hybrid System--Racing) powertrain is designed to deliver maximum performance; it features an all-new V-8 3.4-liter normally aspirated engine (gasoline powered) that uses a hybrid system with capacitor storage developed by Nisshinbo, an official team partner. Like its road hybrid cars, the TS030 Hybrid generates energy under braking; it can operate in electric-only mode, achieving zero emissions and zero fuel consumption.

The team's first test will help them evaluate the merits--within current regulations--of a front motor system produced by Aisin AW and a rear motor system developed by official team partner Denso. The WEC regulations limit hybrid systems to recovering a maximum of 500 kilojoules between braking zones and restricts deployment to only two wheels.

The TS030 Hybrid has a brand new carbon fiber LMP1 chassis that had its roll-out last week at Circuit Paul Ricard. During an exclusive test session at the French track that included running at night, the TS030 Hybrid completed several hundred kilometers, showing an impressive level of reliability and performance, even in the early stage of the car's test program.

Both Wurz and Lapierre put the car through this test, joined by 30-year-old Japanese driver Hiroaki Ishiura, who is a candidate to join the driver lineup at races where Toyota chooses to participate with two cars.

"It was cool to drive the TS030 Hybrid car for the first time," Wurz said. "Just leaving the garage on the electric power is very futuristic, then when you let the clutch go and the internal combustion engine kicks in, it is like an old friend has returned! I am definitely very happy but my nature is to also be analytical and therefore I know there is still a lot of work to be done. It's really good to work with all the mechanics and engineers. I am very comfortable in this team because they are all extremely professional."

While he'd love to win Le Mans this first time out with a new car, Yoshiaki Kinoshita, Toyota Racing team president is a bit more circumspect about the plausibility of a good result.

"Our target this year is to show the performance level of our car and in particular the THS-R powertrain. Hybrid is a core technology of Toyota, so it is important to demonstrate this in a motorsport arena. We want to prove it can bring a performance advantage, both in terms of lap time and fuel efficiency. We are all very excited to be back on the race track again," Kinoshita said.

Below are the technical specifications of the Toyota TS030 Hybrid:

Designation - TS030 HYBRID
Type - Le Mans Prototype (LMP1)
Bodywork - Carbon fiber composite
Windscreen - Polycarbonate
Gearbox - Transversal with six gears sequential
Gearbox casing - Aluminum
Driveshafts - Constant velocity tripod plunge-joint driveshafts
Clutch - Multidisc
Differential - Viscous mechanical locking differential
Suspension - Independent front and rear double wishbone, pushrod-system
Springs - Torsion bars
Anti roll bars - Front and rear
Steering - Hydraulically assisted
Brakes - Dual circuit hydraulic braking system, mono-block light-alloy brake calipers front and rear
Discs - Ventilated front and rear in carbon
Rims - Magnesium forged wheels
Front rims - 14.5 x 18 inch
Rear rims - 14.5 x 18 inch
Tires - Michelin radial
Front tires - 36/71-18
Rear tires - 37/71-18
Length - 4,650mm
Width - 2,000mm
Height - 1,030mm
Fuel capacity - 73 litres
Powertrain - TOYOTA HYBRID System - Racing (THS-R)
Engine -90° V-8 normally aspirated engine
Fuel - Gasoline
Engine Capacity - 3.4 liters
Valves - 4
Air restrictors - 1 x 43.3mm
Capacitor - Nisshinbo
Front Hybrid Motor - Aisin AW
Rear Hybrid Motor - DENSO