918 Spyder Plug-In Hybrid, It Is No Prius
German automaker Porsche shows no interest in pure electric vehicles. Why? Well, as Porsche puts it, battery-only vehicles simply do not provide sufficient range. But don’t count Porsche out of the plug-in mix.
Porsche is keen on plug-in hybrids and says that it will focus its efforts there for the next “five to ten years.”
Porsche Will Build 918 Of The 918 Spyder Hybrid Plug-In
There’s one more reason why electric vehicles aren’t a fit for Porsche right now: performance. As a maker of some of the quickest and fastest automobiles on the planet, Porsche says that current electric vehicle technology isn’t there yet to provide Porsche-like acceleration, handling and top speed.
But plug-in hybrid technology is. Just look at some of these specs for the 2014 Porsche 918 Spyder—a plug-in hybrid hypercar:
| Engine | 4.6-Liter V-8 W/ Two Electric Parallel Motors |
| Total Horsepower | 795 Horsepower |
| Total Torque | 575 Pound-Feet |
| Transmission | 7-Speed PDK Automated Manual |
| Fuel Economy | 78 mpg |
| CO2 Emissions | 70 g/km |
| Top Speed (Hybrid/Electric) | 202 mph / 93 mph |
| Acceleration (0-62 mph/0-124 mph/0-186 mph) | 3 Seconds / 9 Seconds / 27 Seconds |
| Battery | Lithium-Ion W. 6.8 kWh Capacity, 200 kW |
In the US, the Porsche 918 Spyder will carry a staggering base price of $845,000. Options will easily push the 918 Spyder past the $1,000,000 mark. But it’s sold out.
via Automobilwoche
“Porsche says that current electric vehicle technology isn’t there yet to provide Porsche-like acceleration, handling and top speed.”
Okay, I understand the range limitations, but Tesla has proved this statement wrong long ago.
In translation…
“We are so late to the game, and have not invested enough into battery technology to offer a 100+mile EV car. So we are going the plug-in route until Tesla launches their new 200 EV mile Roadster, and we are forced to react.”
Exactly – if you look at the old roadster as a 2008-technology – I can only imagine what the 2015+ Roadster 2.0 will have under the hood ….
Porsche to Focus on Plug-In Hybrids; Not Interested in Pure Electric Vehicles Log on http://familylobby.com/priscilla/news.asp?newsid=440221