In 2015, ‘Monster’ Nobuhiro Tajima drove this 1500bhp, €3 million Tajima Rimac eRunner to second place on the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb. In 2016, EVO Magazine puts it through its paces in Croatia
Long-time readers of crankandpiston.com will no doubt be familiar with ‘Monster’ Nobuhiro Tajima, the Japanese legend that has won Pikes Peak a record nine times and has competed on the hill since 1988. It’s difficult to become more synonymous with an event than Tajima has managed.
Imagine our envy then when EVO Magazine managed to nab time with the 1500bhp all-electric Tajima Rimac eRunner Nobuhiro Tajima used to finish second overall in 2015 (Rhys Millen took overall victory in the similarly electric Drive eO PP03). Into the driving seat at Croatia’s Automotodrom Grobnik circuit pops Dan Prosser, who’s immediately terrified. And deafened.
Aren’t all-electric cars supposed to be quiet? No. Not even close, given the horrendous din being emitted by the chain drive that links all four motors together.
So, the basics. The €3 million all-electric eRunner is the combined work of Monster Sport (a division of the Tajima Motor Corporation) and Rimac Automobili, the Crotian independent behind the all-electric, 1073bhp Rimac Concept One hypercar. Unsurprisingly, the Croatian boys and girls are responsible for the two 200kg batteries sitting either side of the driver pod and the four electric motors driving each wheel, which, combined, produce 1500bhp and a ‘vast amount’ of torque. 0-100kph is taken care of in just 2.3 seconds, 0-200kph over with in 5.4 seconds. So, yeah. Quite sprightly, even with its 1.5-ton kerb weight.
Monster Sport meanwhile have been responsible for the spaceframe chassis, the carbon fibre bodywork, the suspension, the brakes and the wheels. So performance-focused is the eRunner that the performance tyres are only designed to last 15km. Turns out, as Prosser discovers, the 1500bhp eRunner is pretty handy through the corners too. Over to you Dan…
