More news from Frankfurt 2015 as Porsche up the all electric car game with the presentation of a new all Electric sports limo, the Mission E.
The concept Mission E is a the four-door, four-seat with 592 bhp looking like a fancy Panamera with a hint of 918.
It sits very low to the ground at only 1,300mm tall, with the body constructed from a mix of aluminium, steel and carbon fibre-reinforced polymer. The wheels are made out of carbon and measure 21 inches at the front and 22 inches at the rear.
The four-point matrix LED headlamps are a reinterpretation of the cluster design seen on the facelifted 911, while the 918-inspired plunging roofline and sculpted rear haunches are designed to be as aerodynamic as possible. A distinguishing features of the Mission E is the suicide door layout, with the absence of a B-pillar allowing for easier access to the cabin.
In terms of performance, Porsche has looked to its Le Mans-winning 919 Hybrid racer for assistance. A new 800-volt drive system, consisting of two electric motors and a powerful battery – which Porsche claims is twice as powerful as any other EV system available today – drive the Mission E via all four wheels, developing 582bhp.
Porsche claims 0-62mph in 3.5 seconds for the Mission E, with 0-124mph taking an additional nine seconds. The concept also features four-wheel steering, with Porsche Torque Vectoring automatically distributing power to individual wheels to maximise grip. Porsche also claim a 500km (310-mile) range. That makes it a match for the Tesla Model S and Audi’s e-tron SUV concept.
Where the Mission E takes the upper hand is with the ‘Porsche Turbo Charging’ system, allowing an 80 per cent recharge of the batteries in around 15 minutes via the 800-volt port. Porsche claims this is possible because of the lighter, smaller copper cables the Mission E uses. As an alternative, the batteries can also be replenished wirelessly via inductive charging. A panel behind the front wheel of the concept hides the charge port.
We assume that the technology is shared with Audi E Tron.
Interesting times from the Germans as the Tesla model X gets closer to launch.
UK Car production Falls – Again
UK car manufacturing output fell -15.3% in October, the eighth consecutive month of decline, according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 77,484 units left factory gates, 14,037 fewer than in the same month last year, with plants continuing their retooling to enable production of the next
