109 years after Dr. Porsche introduced the first fully functional hybrid car, Porsche is again talking seriously about more hybrid technology, including fully electric versions, being injected into their sports car model line-up.
Far-fetched you say. Not so fast. As early as just last year Porsche tuner Ruf introduced the Ruf Greenster, while Porsche themselves presents us with a hybrid powered Cayenne and Panamera. Until very recently, electric Porsches were for those with either an engineering background, an eye toward the environment or someone with a good donor car to lend to the cause (maybe a combination of all three).
Today’s announcement by new Porsche CEO Michael Macht revealed that Porsche is considering, and working hard, on an electric-powered sports car that would meet the high demands of the Porsche brand.
“I am also convinced that one day Porsche will have an electric sports car in its line-up,” said Macht at the company’s press conference today. While he cautioned that so far the available battery technology is not “sufficient to meet Porsche’s strict requirements,” he said “our engineers are already working hard on this challenge.”
“An electric sports car would therefore only make sense for Porsche if it offers performance and a cruising range similar to that of current sports cars in the market,” he said. “We are therefore taking the first step in this direction with a full hybrid – in the Cayenne, the Panamera and maybe in the not too distant future also in a racing car or a production 911. Why not?”
Why not, indeed? Given the torque that full electric motors can produce, if Porsche’s engineers can unlock the secrets that would allow for a fully electric 911 to perform at the same level as today’s fossil fueled fleet, imagine the possibilities.
What I want to know is will an all electric 911 come with a sports exhaust option that plays the sound of a normally aspirated motor? I’m not sure I could live without the aural experience that I’ve come to know and love from Porsche. The full press release is below.
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[Source: PCNA]
ATLANTA, September 15, 2009 — Speaking publicly for the first time at the Frankfurt Auto Show, Porsche’s new president and CEO, Michael Macht, revealed that Porsche is considering and working hard on an electric-powered sports car that would meet the high demands of the Porsche brand.
“I am also convinced that one day Porsche will have an electric sports car in its line-up,” said Macht at the company’s press conference today. While he cautioned that so far the available battery technology is not “sufficient to meet Porsche’s strict requirements,” he said “our engineers are already working hard on this challenge.”
“An electric sports car would therefore only make sense for Porsche if it offers performance and a cruising range similar to that of current sports cars in the market,” he said. “We are therefore taking the first step in this direction with a full hybrid – in the Cayenne, the Panamera and maybe in the not too distant future also in a racing car or a production 911. Why not?”
Macht pointed out that Porsche has a long legacy with hybrid technology as it was exactly 109 years ago that Professor Ferdinand Porsche built the first fully functioning car with hybrid technology.
Speaking about Porsche’s newest model, Macht said the new Panamera Gran Turismo is already generating thousands of orders just three days after its market launch in Europe.
The highly anticipated Panamera represents Porsche’s fourth model line and is the brand’s first-ever four-door sports car. It goes on sale in the U.S. on October 17, 2009.
“Although the car has only been at the dealership for three days, we already have 4,500 orders for the Panamera, most of them from customers who have not even seen the car yet,” he said Macht. “And since test drives for customers have only just started, sales of the Panamera are already making a very positive start.”
Another highlight of the press conference at Frankfurt was Porsche’s presentation of its new 2010 911 Turbo, the flagship of the venerable 911 range.
“The 911 Turbo is the spearhead in innovation throughout Porsche’s complete range of sports cars. It has been successful in the market for 35 years, accounting throughout this period for almost 80,000 units sold worldwide,” said Macht.
Premiering alongside the venerable Turbo will be a series of asphalt-burning 911s, including the 911 GT3 RS, and its race ready sibling the 911 GT3 Cup car.
Porsche also took the wraps off its limited-edition 911 Sport Classic at the Frankfurt show, marking a return to the tradition of occasionally issuing ultra-exclusive production cars. The Sport Classic will not be offered in the U.S. Production will be strictly limited to 250 units.