Porsche greenlights Mission E electric sports car; launch at end of decade
04 December 2015
The supervisory board of Porsche AG today has greenlighted the Mission E—the first 100% electric Porsche. The Mission E battery-electric concept car made its premiere at the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) in September. (Earlier post.) The production vehicle is now due to be launched at the end of the decade.
Along with the Mission E project, Porsche will invest around €700 million in its main site in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. Over the next few years, the company will build a new paint shop and a new assembly plant. The existing engine factory is also being expanded for the production of electric motors. In addition, the existing body shop is being enlarged. On top of that come other areas in which the company will be investing in this context, such as in the Weissach development center.
With Mission E, we are making a clear statement about the future of the brand. Even in a greatly changing motoring world, Porsche will maintain its front-row position with this fascinating sports car.
—Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Porsche AG
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| Porsche Mission E concept at Frankfurt. Click to enlarge. |
The four-door Mission E concept delivers delivers system power output of more than 600 hp (440 kW) from its two permanently-excited synchronous motors (PSM)—similar to those used in this year’s Le Mans victor, the 919 hybrid. The vehicle accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in under 3.5 seconds and offers a range of more than 500 kilometers (311 miles).
In addition to their high efficiency, power density and uniform power development, the motors can develop their full power even after multiple accelerations at short intervals.
An all-wheel drive system with Porsche Torque Vectoring automatically distributes torque to the individual wheels.
Charged via an 800-volt charger unit specially developed for the car, which is twice as powerful as today’s quick-charge systems, the lithium-ion batteries integrated within the vehicle floor have enough power again for 80% of the range after just 15 minutes. The vehicle can optionally be recharged wirelessly by induction via a coil set into the garage floor.
The pack is mounted in the car’s underbody and runs the whole length between the front and rear axles. This distributes its weight to the two drive axles uniformly, resulting in exceptionally good balance. In addition, it makes the sports car's centre of gravity extremely low.
The body as a whole is made up of a functional mix of aluminium, steel and carbon fibre reinforced polymer. The wheels are made of carbon: the Mission E has wide tires mounted on 21-inch wheels in front and 22-inch wheels at the rear.
We are resolutely taking on the challenge of electric mobility. Even with solely battery-powered sports cars, Porsche is remaining true to its philosophy and offering our customers the sportiest and technologically most sophisticated model in this market segment.
—Chairman of the Porsche Executive Board, Dr. Oliver Blume
Blume added that the E Mission project underlines the importance of Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen as a production site, of Baden-Württemberg as a centre of technology and of the whole German automotive industry.
Let's see, 80% of range (249 miles, more or less) in 15 minutes. If you assume 175 miles between charging stops you should be able to top off sufficiently in about 11 minutes. That is just long enough for a bathroom break, which everyone is going to want after 2.5 hours on the road.
Stick a fork in the hydrogen car, it's done.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 06 December 2015 at 09:52 AM