Porsche Mission E Concept Leads the EV Charge in Frankfurt
Porsche has introduced its first all-electrically powered four-seat sports car at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. The Porsche Mission E concept is an EV with racing adrenaline pulsing through its electrically charged veins as it draws inspiration form such performance leviathans as the 918 hypercar and the 919 Le Mans conqueror.
The four door, four seater sports concept hits the mark in the power and practicality stakes. Its electric drive train is entirely new but draws heavily from the hybrid motor racing technology honed to perfection on board the Le Mans winning the Porsche 919. The Mission E’s twin electric motors produce a combined 600bhp and accelerate the sports car from 0-62mph in under 3.5 seconds and up to 124mph in less than 12 seconds. At full charge, the EV’s range stands at 310 miles and thanks to its use of innovative 800-volt technology, double that of most current production full-electric vehicles, the Mission E can be topped up to 80% power in a brisk 15 minutes. The on-demand all-wheel drive system distributes torque to individual wheels as and when required, while all-wheel steering sharpens up handling in the corners. The Porsche Mission E’s track capabilities are testament to its intelligent use of such technologies; it recently lapped the North Loop of the Nürburgring in less than 8 minutes.
The sleek stance of the new Mission E concept, which stands a squat 130cm, is just one of the ways in which Porsche has maximised aerodynamic efficiency. Integrated air guides also improve airflow around the 21-inch front wheels for optimum downforce.
From the front, the Mission E’s swept-back bonnet mirrors that of the 918 hypercar and Porsche’s trademark headlight design gets a distinctive four-point LED makeover. Debuting alongside the next generation 911 Carrera in Frankfurt, the Mission E concept borrows more than a few design cues from its exalted stablemate but does differ in several key areas. Of particular note are the counter-opening doors and absence of a B-pillar as well as the pair of front wing –mounted rear view cameras that replace the traditional aerodynamically inefficient wing mirrors. Images from this extra pair of eyes are fed back into the cabin in the lower corners of the windscreen.
Inside, race bucket seats secure the occupants firmly in place, whilst the centre console divides the front seats and extends gracefully up to the dashboard. Here, you will find a cutting-edge holographic instrument display which, combined with motion sensitive cameras, follows the gaze and posture of the driver and adjusts the position and prominence of the 3D gauges accordingly.
The Porsche Mission E concept shows how the German stable envisions the future of electric sports cars. Could this, the first all-electrically powered Porsche of the 21st century sow the seeds for a prospective BMW i8 competitor in years to come?
