Porsche Boxster E electric sports car
Porsche's fastest accelerating Boxster roadster is a new battery powered electric version, the Boxster E
The Porsche Boxster has gone battery powered.
The electric revolution is continuing to gather momentum at Porsche with the creation of an all-electric plug-in version of the Boxster, called the Boxster E.
Rear and four-wheel-drive variants of the development car, which features a lithium ion battery pack in place of the sports car’s usual petrol-powered straight six, were unveiled at the Michelin Challenge Bibendum, in Berlin.
Weighing in at around 1600kg, but with electric motors capable of delivering the equivalent of 241bhp and 398lb ft of torque, Stuttgart’s volt driven vehicle created a buzz at the annual sustainable mobility event.
Porsche believes that the packaging of the mid-engined Boxster make it ideal for the application of an all-electric drivetrain. A 341kg battery pack replaces the regular petrol engine in the middle and is connected to the engine’s existing anchor points, while the electric motors are positioned where the manual transmission and exhaust system of the regular car reside. The space previously occupied by the petrol tanks (at the front of the car) now houses the electric motors that power the front wheels.
Porsche claims that the four-wheel-drive version of the Boxster E is capable of reaching 62mph in just 5.5sec, faster than any current petrol-powered Boxster, and a 124mph top speed.
The rear-wheel-drive car does without the front-mounted electric motor and delivers just 121bhp and 199lb ft of torque as a result. Themupshot is that, despite a minimal weight saving, it accelerates to 62mph in a less Porsche-like 9.9sec, before running out of steam at 93mph.
Lessons learned in Porsche’s creation of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid race car, 918 Spyder super sports car and the stunning 918 RSR concept have led to the Boxster E’s development and large scale trials are already underway to establish how the zero emissions technology could shape greener Porsches in future.
Sharing some technology with those racing-inspired projects, the Boxster E comes fitted with Porsche’s Carbon Ceramic Composite Brakes that ensure the electric powered sports car should stop effectively in conjunction with its energy recuperating regenerative braking system.
It seems that Porsche even have the all-important question of range figured too. Despite the car’s performance credentials, testing suggests that 107 miles can be covered between charges, with a full charge taking nine hours to complete via a regular socket.
