Students training to become a mechanic may dream of one day working on the latest Porsche model. And there’s no surprise why. Since 1948, the brand has been producing cars that are beautiful, powerful and timeless.
Now, it seems like Porsche is looking to change things up in their line of vehicles. This year, at the Volkswagen group’s annual conference, development chief Ulrich Hackenberg revealed that Porsche is delving into the all-electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicle market.
Hackenberg revealed to the audience two prototypes: one for a battery electric vehicle and one for a fuel cell electric vehicle. In addition, both VW and Audi—a subsidiary of Volkswagen—will be getting all-new fuel cell vehicles too. Read on to find out more.
Porsche’s Current Hybrid Lineup
Students looking to enroll in a mechanic program might already be aware of Porsche’s successful efforts at “greening” up some of the public’s favorite models into hybrids. Here are a few examples:
As an update to the Panamera S Hybrid, Porsche originally released the Panamera S E-Hybrid in 2014. The updated model boasts a more powerful electric motor, a higher-performance battery that supplies more energy, and can be recharged from home or public vehicle charging stations in around 4 hours. The electric drive produces 95 horsepower—more than double the power of the previous model’s electric motor (47 HP). In electric-only mode, the car is said to be able to travel 22 miles on battery power alone, at speeds of up to 84mph.
The Cayenne S E-Hybrid uses the same drivetrain as the hybrid Panamera, while the battery has been pumped up to help counteract the Cayenne’s bigger size and weight. It boasts plenty of variations of drive modes, including E-Power (electric only), hybrid (where both powertrains work in harmony) and E-Charge, where surplus power is harvested to feed the battery. The Cayenne S E-Hybrid’s electric-only top speed is 78mph.
The 918 Spyder is a limited edition mid-engine, plug-in hybrid supercar. This stunning model has an intuitive and automated mode-switching computer that allows the driver to focus solely on the road. It reaches a top speed of 93 mph in electric-only mode, and 212mph with all systems on tap.
A Competitor for the Tesla Model S?
Although the details on these all-electric models are classified, the news has already sparked a lot of buzz amongst global automotive experts. Here are a few speculations:
- The first model is rumored to have a 4-door layout and 911 inspired styling
- Potential release is 2019
- It could come with a torque vectoring AWD system as well as support for inductive charging
Many professionals in auto careers see Porsche’s foray into the all-electric world as new competition for Tesla. Could Porsche out-sell the reigning electric car manufacturer? Only time will tell.
Do you think Porsche can make a name in the all-electric and hybrid vehicle market?
