Mitsubishi is back in Colorado with a new version of its MiEV Evolution electric race car, and they only have one goal: to beat Toyota and win the EV division at this year’s Pikes Peak hill climb challenge. Good job then, the Evolution II is thoroughly upgraded over the last year’s car, which finished in second place.

Even though the base for this car is Mitsu’s pathetic MiEV city car, the Evo II racer is a monster. It features a unique four-motor drivetrain (two front/two rear) based on a modified high-output version of the production Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric vehicle motor, a tube-frame chassis, Mitsubishi Motors’ highly-advanced Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) all-wheel drive technology. Total output of the car is a staggering 400 kW (536 bhp).

What’s more, the Evo II gets new high-capacity lithium-ion batteries and an aerodynamic carbon fiber body work designed for generating massive amounts of downforce. Race cars like this prove that car makers can produce exciting electric vehicles. There will no limit to what they can do, if someone figure out a solution for the EV’s limited range and long charging time.

Two Mitsubishi MiEV Evolution IIs will take part in this year’s Pikes Peak challenge. The first one will be driven by two-time Dakar Rally overall champion Hiroshi Masuoka, and the other by six-time Pikes Peak overall motorcycle champion Greg Tracy.