Porsche have taken the driving trials of their development hybrid super sports car one step further with the completion of the first batch of prototypes. Porsche says all plans are on-track for the 918 Spyder to go into production by September 2013, with the first customers receiving their cars before 2013 is over.
The camouflage you see in these press images harks back to the historical Porsche 917 racing cars and signifies the final touches on the 918 Spyder. This time, the focus is on the highly sophisticated drive components - a combination of a V8 combustion engine along with two independent electric motors (one on the front axle, the other in the drive line acting on the rear wheels). This hybrid combination will minimize fuel consumption whilst maximizing performance, and it is reported that initial results of the driving trails are in-line with the high expectations placed on the 918 Spyder.
Porsche's 918 Spyder is designed as a plug-in hybrid with racing dynamics. Porsche claims more than 770hp with fuel being sipped at just three litres per 100 kilometers. While the numbers are impressive, it will be interesting to see how it will fare in real world scenarios. Other groundbreaking technologies include a full carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque with unit carrier, fully adaptive aerodynamics, adaptive rear-axle steering and the upward-venting “top pipes” exhaust system; these are clear signals of what Porsche Intelligent Performance might be capable in the future.
Below are the specifications for the Porsche 918 Spyder -
Body: Two-seater Spyder; carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) monocoque interlocked with CFRP unit carrier; two-piece Targa roof; fixed roll-over protection system.
Drivetrain: Parallel full hybrid; 4.6-litre V8 mid-engine with dry-sump lubrication; hybrid module with electric motor and decoupler; electric motor with decoupler and gear unit on front axle; electrical system recuperation; four cooling circuits for motors, transmission and battery; thermal management.
Engine Power: > 570 hp (V8 engine)
~ 90 kW (hybrid module on rear axle)
~ 80 kW (electric motor on front axle)
> 770 hp (combined)
Suspension: Double-wishbone front axle; optional electro-pneumatic lift system on front axle; electro-mechanical power steering; multi-link rear axle with adaptive electro-mechanical system for individual rear wheel steering
Brake system: High-performance hybrid brake system with adaptive recuperation; ceramic brake discs (PCCB).
Energy supply: Lithium-ion battery with 6.8 kWh capacity (BOL nominal), 202 kW maximum power and mains-compatible plug-in charger.
Performance: Top speed > 325 km/h
purely electric > 150 km/h
Acceleration: 0 – 100 km/h < 3.0 s
Consumption
(NEDC): Total ~ 3.0 l/100 km
CO2 emissions: Total ~ 70 g/km
Range: Purely electric > 25 km
