0 – 60 in 2.8 seconds and twice the fuel efficiency of your Honda
civic; Porsche has recently confirmed production on its new wicked concept the
918 Spyder.
To achieve these super car numbers with far better than Prius
fuel efficiency takes some extremely futuristic technology. For the main engine
it uses a 4.6 Liter V-8 that produces over 580 horsepower, but this is also
accompanied by three lithium ion powered electric motors that together, can
produce 280 horsepower. To save fuel, the Porsche uses only the electric motors
when the car is coasting or cruising.
The 918 was intelligently developed with four different
running modes: E-Drive is the electric only mode that has a range of 20 miles
and uses only the battery powered motor. Hybrid mode uses a combination of the
two but maximizes the efficiency of using the electric motors. Sport mode,
which harnesses more of the power from the V-8, provides a more sporty
combination of the motors. Lastly, the most aggressive mode is Race. In Race
mode a “push-to-pass” button is available which when pressed delivers
additional electric power from the lithium-ion batteries, similar to a nitrous
boost. In this mode the 918 can reach a top speed of 210 MPH but at that speed,
forget about your 78 MPG.
The chassis of the 918 is a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic
monocoque. It uses extremely lightweight aluminum and magnesium to keep its
weight down to 3,300 lbs.
You were probably looking at the pictures of the 918 and
wondering; “where are its mirrors?” Well another cool feature of the
918 is that instead of mirrors it uses cameras. This helps reduce drag as well
as being really cool. The side view cameras are linked to displays on the
dashboard of the car which also gives you important information like engine
usage and climate control.
This car is Porsche’s attempt to compete with its Italian counter-parts
in the extreme super car market, going up against cars like the Bugatti Veyron
and Lamborghini Sesto Elemento; and at a price of around a million dollars it
fits right in. With the 918, Porsche is also trying to reach an untapped market
that consists of the performance oriented dual-source power hybrids. This is
currently the only car in the world that can produce these types of numbers at
such high fuel efficiency.
Porsche has taken a long time building this concept and we
are just starting to see some 918 test cars covered in camouflage racing around
the track. But soon this concept will be a reality, and the select few who were
lucky enough to purchase one will have bought one of the most technologically
advanced cars on the planet.