This year’s annual Pikes Peak hill climb is shaping up to be something pretty spectacular for electric vehicle fans. 

After last year’s race, which saw the all-electric Yokohama HER-02 set a new course with a time of 12 minutes and 20 seconds, we’ve seen official entries already tendered for 2012 from Mitsubishi, Monster Tajima and independents EVWest.

Now Toyota has announced it too will enter an electric car into the iconic race as part of a joint project with Japanese company RK1, Inc. 

Meet TMG EV P002, the identical twin of the Toyota PV001 EV electric racing car which set a new lap record at the Nürburgring in Germany earlier this year. 

Based on Toyota-owned Radical race car, the TMG EV P002 is fitted with two axial flux motors capable of producing 350 kilowatts of power and an impressive 663 pound feed of torque. It will be driven in the 12-mile long hill climb by Japanese rally champion Fumio Nutahara.

With one month to the day left before the event, there’s still time for other competitors to announce their intention to race. 

But with every automaker keen to enter an electric car, we have to admit to being a little happy. 

Electric cars are finally grabbing the attention of the motorsport world. 

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