Porsche 918 Spyder Plug-in Hybrid
One of the most anticipated sports cars of the year, the Porsche
918 Spyder plug-in hybrid has been announced and photos have
been recently released. The vehicle was first presented as a
concept at the Geneva Motor Show of 2010 and it is estimated
that production will begin at the end of September 2012.
According to Porsche, the first deliveries will occur before
the end of 2013. The production is currently limited to 918
vehicles and Porsche already reported that 300 of them have
already been pre-sold.
Technical Characteristics
The driveline of the new Porsche 918 plug-in hybrid combines
a mid-mounted V8 gasoline engine with an output of over 500
horses, a displacement of over 4.0 liters and a 7-speed dual
clutch transmission. The fuel consumption of the new Porsche
918 plug-in hybrid will be of just 78.4mpg (with the use of
the electric motors). It is estimated that the electric motor
will be able to power the car for at least 16 miles. Even though
there are no final numbers available for the sprint time and
top speeds, quotes from Porsche mention a 3.2 seconds sprint
time from 0 to 100 km / h (62 mph) as well as a top speed of
over 199 mph.
The car will be powered by two electric motors, located on
the front and rear axles, providing together approximately 218
additional horsepower. A liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery will
store the electric energy and the user will be able to recharge
it from a regular household outlet. Recharging time will differ
from one country to another, with an estimation that it will
take about seven hours in the U.S. In order to further reduce
charging times, Porsche considers a quick-charge option.
The Design of the Porsche 918 plug-in hybrid
The recently released photos of the Porsche 918 plug-in hybrid
indicate that the actual design of the car remains close to
the innovative concept that was initially presented, featuring
a subtly redesigned rear, the addition of full sized exterior
mirrors, different wheels, new headlamp fixtures, and the rearrangement
of the exhaust pipes to the upper part of the engine compartment
instead of the sides. A manual roof structure with detachable
panels will be another feature of the Porsche 918 plug-in hybrid
and there will be 2 seats available in a carbon-fiber-reinforced
plastic body.
Prices
The price of the Porsche 918 plug-in hybrid will start at $845,000
for the U.S. (excluding delivery and handling charges).
The price of the Porsche 918 plug-in hybrid has been considered
by some too steep for a sports car and it will probably be the
main deterrent for potential buyers. However, it seems that
Porsche has already stepped into the alternative energy propulsion
era and this still comes with a price. If money is not an issue,
this is a car that will please those who are passionate about
powerful engines and those who are concerned about the environment
at the same time.
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