German manufacturer Porsche confirmed today it’s commitment to offer an electric sports car in the near future.
The company said it is in the process of building three electric Boxsters which will begin testing in Stuttgart next year, as a part of the Stuttgart Model Region for Electromobility.
These three electric Boxsters will provide an important preliminary insight to new electric drive components and battery systems for all-electric vehicle drive. This field test is intended to also provide further findings on the infrastructure required for electro-mobility, user behaviour and the demands made of future products.
“We will definitely be offering an electric sports car in future. But such a concept only makes sense if it offers performance and a cruising range comparable to that of a sports car today,” said Porsche CEO Michael Macht.
The electric sports car joins Porsche’s growing lineup of alternatively powered vehicles, which includes the hybrid Cayenne and GT3 R Hybrid racer. This hybrid technology will also be featured in the future Panamera S Hybrid due to enter the market next year.
The company is also expected to confirm production of the 918 Spyder concept, a plug-in hybrid supercar unveiled at 2010 Geneva Auto Show. The 918 Spyder concept combines high-performance mid-engined sports car with plug-in hybrid combines high-tech breakthroughs in engine technology and electro-mobility with a truly fascinating range of further qualities. Emissions otherwise to be found only on a super-mini of just 70 g/km CO2 with three liters fuel consumption for 100 kilometers in the NEDC (equal to 94.1 mpg or 73.5 mpg U.S.), are combined with the performance of a super sportscar developing well over 600 horsepower.
The 918 Spyder has attracted at least 2,000 non-binding submissions of interest. Porsche will move forward with a production 918 Spyder if at least 1,000 sales pledges to sign off on building the car, development chief Wolfgang Duerheimer said in April.
The hybrid system of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid has been developed especially for racing, with two 60 kW (82 hp) electric motors on the front axle boosting the 480 hp six-cylinder combustion engine fitted at the rear. In place of conventional batteries, there is an electrical flywheel power storage system re-charged whenever the driver applies the brakes and thus delivering energy to the electric motors. The 911 GT3 R Hybrid has already proven its racing qualities in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.
As part of its ongoing role as a technology spearhead and ‘racing laboratory’, the 911 GT3 R Hybrid will race in the season finale of the American Le Mans Series – the ‘Petit Le Mans’ – at Road Atlanta on October 2. After its American race debut, it is planned that the 911 GT3 R Hybrid will travel to China to race in the six hour Le Mans International Cup at Zuhai.
Porsche Intelligent Performance encompasses a variety of innovative powertrain solutions. Porsche introduced its first production car able to run for short distances under electric power alone in June this year. With maximum output of 380 hp, the Cayenne S Hybrid offers fuel consumption on the NEDC cycle of 34.5 mpg (8.2 l/100 km or 28.7mpg U.S. ), and CO2 emissions reduced to 193 g/km.
