For the period of April 22 through May 15, 2016, Porsche Cars Canada Ltd. has a mobile display at West Edmonton Mall. It’s a slick set-up that’s full of information, interactive displays and two awesome vehicles. The intent is to educate and communicate to the public Porsche’s commitment to performance while continuing to focus on doing so efficiently. Porsche’s PR specialist, Daniel Ponzini, was on hand, enthusiastically introducing us to technologies that are being developed and that are already here.
And to that end, they’ve brought two examples of what they’ve done to date. You can’t miss this thing – the awe-inspiring bright-red 919 Hybrid race car lurks behind a clear barrier. This revelation in efficiency on the track is an extreme. The 870 kg (1918 lb) monster, powered by a screaming 9000 RPM, 500 hp turbocharged V4 combined with a 400 hp lithium-ion battery-powered electric drivetrain, is capable of speeds north of 340 km/h. Will we see that on the roads? Nope, but as it has always done, Porsche develops incredibly effective technologies on the race track, and then they trickle down to the vehicles we see in the dealership.
For example, the Cayenne S E-hybrid that’s sitting right next to the race car. A plug-in hybrid that has a combined horsepower rating of 416, not to mention 435 lb.ft of torque – hello! This beast (that comfortably fits 5 people and their luggage, yet handles like a sports car) sprints from 0-100 km/h in under 6 seconds. Fuel economy? A ludicrously low 5.0 L/100 km combined fuel/electric consumption. That’s 47 US mpg, y’all. And it looks stunning with its 21-inch rims and sparkling Carrera White metallic paint. Optioned out as it is, it comes in at $109,595, but the vehicle starts around $87,000.
Porsche actually offers more plug-in vehicles than any other manufacturer in Canada right now. I found that surprising, but it’s true. There’s the aforementioned Cayenne, the Panamera and the completely insane 918 Spyder supercar. Actually it probably slots in as a hypercar. By the way, Porsche started building hybrids in 1900, when Ferdinand Porsche built the world’s first vehicle powered by a combustion engine and a battery-powered electric drive system. Things have come a long way since then.
How far have we come in 116 years? Well, come check out this display, where Porsche will introduce you to its upcoming Mission E car. There’s a huge screen dedicated to this vehicle, and yes, it’s headed to production. Here are some numbers for you: 590 horsepower, 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds(!), a 500+ km range and an 800 volt charging system that can charge the battery to 80% capacity in just 15 minutes. Oh and how about nifty details like induction charging? Yes, you’ll be able to drive it onto the floor-based charging area and yes, it will charge wirelessly. Just like phones do now.
The future is looking pretty bright for performance, and efficiency is no longer the domain of Prius drivers. Porsche has always been a leader in developing new, innovative ways to do things, and they aren’t standing still in the face of today’s world’s ever-changing needs and wants.
The display is on the upper floor of West Edmonton Mall, right outside the Apple Store. Drop by to see the incredible 919 Hybrid race car, the handsome Cayenne, and to learn more about where Porsche will be taking us in the future.
It’s a bright future indeed.
If you enjoyed this article, feel free to check out my vehicle reviews under the car reviews tab at the top of my blog.
