Porsche Mission E

September 15th, 2015

In presenting the Mission E at the IAA in Frankfurt, Porsche is introducing the first all-elec ­trically powered four-seat sports car in the brand's history. The concept car combines the unmistakable emotional design of a Porsche with excellent performance and the forward-thinking practicality of the first 800-volt drive system.



Key specification data of this fascina ­ting sports car: four doors and four single seats, over 600 hp (440 kW) system power and over 500 km driving range. All-wheel drive and all-wheel steering, zero to 100 km/h acce ­leration in under 3.5 seconds and a charging time of around 15 minutes to reach an 80 per cent charge of electrical energy. Instruments are intuitively operated by eye-tracking and gesture control, some even via holograms – highly oriented toward the driver by automati ­cally adjusting the displays to the driver's position.

The drive system of the Mission E is entirely new, yet it is typical Porsche, i.e. proven in motor racing. Two permanTently-excited synchronous motors (PSM) – similar to those used in this year's Le Mans victor, the 919 hybrid – accelerate the sports car and recover bra ­king energy. The best proof of a Porsche is 24 hours of top racing performance and a 1-2 finish. Together the two motors produce over 600 hp, and they propel the Mission E to a speed of 100 km/h in less than 3.5 seconds and to 200 km/h in under twelve seconds. In addition to their high efficiency, power density and uniform power development, they offer another advantage: unlike today's electric drive systems, they can develop their full power even after multiple accelerations at short intervals. The need-based all-wheel drive system with Porsche Torque Vectoring – which automatically distributes torque to the individual wheels – transfers the drive system's power to the road, and all-wheel steering gives pre ­cise, sporty steering in the desired direction. This makes the Mission E fit for the circuit race track; its lap time on the North Loop of the Nürburgring is under the eight-minute mark.

It is not just passionate sportiness that makes up a Porsche but also a high level of every ­day practicality. Accordingly, the Mission E can travel over 500 km on one battery charge, and it can be charged with enough energy for around 400 km more driving range in less than fifteen minutes. The reason: Porsche is a front-runner in introducing innovative 800-volt technology for the first time. Doubling the voltage – compared to today's electric vehicles that operate at 400 volts – offers multiple advantages: shorter charging times and lower weight, because lighter, smaller gage copper cables are sufficient for energy transport. A moveable body segment on the front left wing in front of the driver's door gives access to the charging port for the innovative “Porsche Turbo Charging” system. Via the 800-volt port, the battery can be charged to approximately 80 per cent of its capacity in around 15 minutes – a record time for electric vehicles. As an alternative, the technology platform can be connec ­ted to a conventional 400-volt quick-charging station, or it can be replenished at home in the garage via convenient inductive charging by simply parking over a coil embedded in the floor of the garage from which the energy is transferred without cables to a coil on the car's underbody.

Another feature that is typical of a Porsche sports car is a lightweight concept with optimal weight distribution and a low centre of gravity. The battery mounted in the car's underbody, which is based on the latest lithium-ion technology, runs the whole length between the front and rear axles. This distributes its weight to the two drive axles uniformly, resulting in excep ­tionally good balance. In addition, it makes the sports car's centre of gravity extremely low. Both of these factors significantly boost performance and a sports car feeling. The body as a whole is made up of a functional mix of aluminium, steel and carbon fibre reinforced polymer. The wheels are made of carbon: the Mission E has wide tyres mounted on 21-inch wheels in front and 22-inch wheels at the rear.