SANYO and Yokohama Rubber Go for the Win at PIKES PEAK in Colorado

SAN DIEGO, June 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. (SANYO) announces that its lithium-ion batteries will be used in the Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. (Yokohama Rubber) electric vehicle (EV) operated by "Team Yokohama EV Challenge" for the upcoming hill-climbing motor sports race "2011 PIKES PEAK INTERNATIONAL HILL CLIMB" to be held in Colorado, USA on June 26.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110602/LA12907)

"PIKES PEAK INTERNATIONAL HILL CLIMB," the best-known hill climb race in the world, is held every year at the 14,110-foot (4,301-meter) "Pikes Peak" mountain in Colorado. This year's event will mark the 89th hill climb. The race is known for the severity of its conditions, which includes rapidly changing temperatures and weather. Participants race over a 20-kilometer course, beginning at the 9,390-feet (2,862-meter) level to finish at the 14,110-foot (4,301-meter) summit.

Yokohama Rubber has been participating in the race since 2009, with the aim to harmonize the pleasure of driving with the environment and to promote research and development for EV tires. They have used a SANYO lithium-ion battery system for electric motors every year, and last year achieved a new, all-time record for electric vehicles. This year, the team will use a prototype of the fuel-efficient tire BluEarth.

To power the EV, the battery system used combines 6,656 of SANYO's 18650-size cylindrical lithium-ion batteries (Diameter: 0.7inch (18mm) x Height: 2.5inch (65mm)), typically used for consumer equipment such as laptops. The 18650-size cells offer the expected performance, and because they are readily available, only a short period of development for use with EV systems is required.

SANYO aims to contribute to the realization of a low-carbon society by increasing the use of lithium-ion batteries.

*This has also been announced by Yokohama Rubber today.

SANYO's Lithium-ion Battery System

Number of batteries: 6,656 cylindrical li-ion batteries

Rating: 385V-96Ah

Total energy: Approx. 37kWh

Yokohama Rubber website: http://www.yrc.co.jp/english/index.html

About SANYO

SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. is a global, leading provider of energy, environment and lifestyle applications. SANYO offers a broad range of products and services including rechargeable batteries, photovoltaic systems, biomedical equipment, HVAC/R systems, digital imaging devices, home appliances, electronic components and others. For further information, please visit SANYO's web site at http://sanyo.com/.

SOURCE SANYO North America