While Porsche is getting ready to go electric with the arrival of the Porsche Mission E, in about two years, it’s already thinking about how it can electrify the rest of its lineup. The Panamera and Cayenne already offer plug-in hybrid models, but the 911 and Boxster have to yet to receive any sort of electrification. Porsche is now looking at solid-state battery technology that could power future electric versions of the 911 and Boxster.
Porsche says that the current lithium-ion batteries that are used in today’s electric cars are not energy-dense enough for a 911 or Boxster electric car. Porsche also says that another hurdle is that putting the batteries under the seats will have a negative effect on the car’s ride height and handling ability. So now it’s looking at the next-generation solid-state batteries as an option, which are lighter and smaller than lithium-ion batteries.
“Fully electrified sports cars would work very well for longitudinal acceleration, but the weight disadvantage is in the handling,” Porsche R&D boss Michael Steiner recently told Autocar. “When this could happen depends on the evolution of battery power and cell density.”
Porsche recently tested an all-electric Porsche Boxster prototype, but the prototype had lower track times because of its extra weight. Porsche has also looked at an electrified 911, but the the process of trying to fit the battery between the wheels could end up raising the height of the driver and body. There is the option of putting the battery in the 911 where the rear seats are, but then that means the electric 911 would become a two-seater.
“That’s a question we have asked ourselves: can it be a 911 with only two seats?”
A T-shaped battery that sits in the center tunnel could be another option, but for now it looks like Porsche’s sports cars won’t see an electrified powertrain for at least a few years.
Source: Autocar
