2012

NTN Corporation (hereafter, NTN) will provide official support to “Team APEV with Monster Sports” run by the Association for the Promotion of Electric Vehicles (hereafter, APEV^*1) as the first electric vehicle (EV) to participate in the “Pikes Peak International Hill Climb 2012” motor sports race to be held in America in July this year.

NTN embarked on development of the In-wheel Motor system from an early stage towards the development of vehicle electrification, and has been focusing on development of EV-related products at R & D Center in Iwata City, Shizuoka Prefecture. In October last year, two converted EVs equipped with the In-wheel Motor System were jointly developed with Tajima Motor Corporation, also located in Iwata City, and delivered for use as official Iwata City vehicles as part of demonstration tests conducted on public roads. The vehicles were also exhibited at the “Nationwide EV Summit in Shizuoka” organized by APEV in November, with “Team Iwata” aimed at promoting increased use of EVs.

This will be the first time APEV will participate in the race, in what will be an attempt to demonstrate the excellence and environmental performance of EVs. NTN's Chairman and CEO Yasunobu Suzuki is the leading supporter of the project team, and providing support for a range of related activities, including junior projects, senior projects and relief projects for areas affected by the recent disaster in Japan. NTN is providing its main products for the EV racing car participating in the race, including hub bearings, CVJs, and transmission bearings.

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is held in the Pikes Peak Region in the state of Colorado, America, and is a competition with a long tradition and history, with this year marking the 90^th time it has been organized. Participants compete against the clock over approximately 20 km of mountainous roads running from a starting altitude of 2,862 m to the finish line at 4,301 m. The race is considered one of the most grueling in the world, as the course consists of steep gradients and 156 turns weaving through mountains, in tough conditions including thin air and unpredictable weather.

Driver Nobuhiro Tajima^*2, who has won the race six years in a row in the Unlimited Division of the race, is aiming to finish as overall winner again this year in the EV racing car developed by the team.

*1 Abbreviation of Association for the Promotion of Electric Vehicles.
Chairman Soichiro Fukutake (Director and Chairman, Benesse Holdings, Inc.)

*2 Chairman/CEO of Tajima Motor Corporation Co., Ltd.