EV Racing Car Powered by MHI's Rechargeable Lithium-ion Batteries Wins Grueling U.S. "Race to the Clouds" Hill Climb In Electric Division

On the final day of the race, June 30, driving conditions were by no means ideal as the road was wet from heavy rain before the start. Those conditions aside, the driver of the winning EV racing car, Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima, made full use of his vast experience in racing and achieved almost the same lap time as the record (9:46.16) set by last year's overall winner - a gasoline engine racing car.

MHI developed and supplied the high-output lithium-ion batteries for the team's EV racing car to provide the power needed for this demanding high-altitude uphill race. They are based on the company's standard type "MLiX" rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which have a substantial track record in applications including installations in cargo-container type energy storage systems and hybrid forklift trucks.

MHI now looks to apply what it learned from participation in the PPIHC race to the development of future batteries, as a way of adding further momentum to its ongoing efforts to contribute to the creation of an energy-saving and low-carbon society.

Note:
The PPIHC, which is celebrating its 91st anniversary this year, is the second-oldest motor-sport race in the United States and a historic tradition in the Colorado Springs/Pikes Peak area. The "Race to the Clouds" is a time trial run over a 12.42 mile (approx. 20 kilometers) course with 156 turns that begins at an altitude of 9,390 feet (approx. 2,860 meters) and ends at the summit, 14,110 feet (4,300 meters) above sea level, making it one of the world's most grueling auto races. MHI is a co-sponsor of "Team APEV with Monster Sport" organized by the Association for the Promotion of Electric Vehicles (APEV), which participates in the PPIHC as part of its activities to promote awareness of global environmental protection. This year's competition took place from June 25 to 30.