Porsche 918 Spyder Concept: First Look

Jay Williams - 02/March/2010

Geneva, Switzerland - Porsche has showcased a highly efficient and ultra-fast plug-in hybrid super sports car concept at the Geneva Motor Show.

The Porsche 918 Spyder concept is an ultra-efficient, low-emission, mid-engine super sports car that features hybrid and electric drive technology.

The combination of the two technology's provide an emission level of just 70-grams of CO2 per kilometer, while the car uses just 3.0-litres per 100 kilometers.

However, this vehicle is intended to offer the performance of a super sports car with acceleration from 0-100 km/h in under 3.2 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 320km/h.

While testing the ultra-efficient sports car on the Nurburgring Nordschleife, the vehicle achieved a lap time of less than 7:30 minutes, (faster than the Porsche Carrera GT).

Powering the Porsche 918 Spyder concept is a high-revving V8 developing 368 kW @ 9,200 rpm - as well as electric motors on the front and rear axle with overall mechanical output of 160 kW. The combination of the engines give the two-seater a total power output of 528 kW.

Sending all that power to the wheels is a seven-speed Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) transmission that feeds the power of the electric drive system to the rear axle. The front-wheel electric drive powers the wheels through a fixed transmission ratio.

The energy reservoir is a fluid-cooled lithium-ion battery positioned behind the passenger cell. The big advantage of a plug-in hybrid is that the battery can be charged on the regular electrical network. A further point is that the car's kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy fed into the battery when applying the brakes, thus providing additional energy for fast and dynamic acceleration.

A button on the steering wheel allows the driver to choose among four different driving modes: The E-Drive mode is for running the car under electric power alone, with a range of up to 25 km. In the Hybrid mode, the 918 Spyder uses both the electric motors and the combustion engine as a function of driving conditions and requirements, offering a range from particularly fuel-efficient all the way to extra-powerful.

The Sport Hybrid mode uses both drive systems, but with the focus on performance. Most of the drive power goes to the rear wheels.

In the Race Hybrid mode the drive systems are focused on pure performance with the highest standard of driving dynamics on the track, running at the limit to their power and dynamic output.

With the battery sufficiently charged, a push-to-pass button feeds in additional electrical power (E-Boost), when overtaking or for even better performance.

The driver and passenger both get sports bucket seats that form as part of the cockpit. Additionally, the cockpit offers a glimpse at the potential interior architecture of future Porsche super sports cars.

The center console rises up towards the front in the 918 Spyder and houses a touch screen for intuitive control of the car's functions, serving to reduce the number of visible controls and maintain the principle of direct operation.

The control units relevant to the driver are mainly concentrated on the three-spoke multifunction sports steering wheel, while the variable driving modes are supplemented by a switch enabling the driver to call up various drive programs and serving as the push-to-pass button for E-boosting. 

Instrument illumination, finally, varies from green for the consumption-oriented running modes to red for the performance-oriented driving programs.

The Porsche 918 Spyder concept also comes with further innovative functions such as the Range Manager. After being activated in the Centre Display, the Range Manager uses the map in the navigation system to present the remaining range the car is able to cover, naturally allowing the driver to influence that range through the appropriate choice of power and performance.

Offering a unique combination of extremely low fuel consumption, supreme performance and long electric range, the Porsche 918 Spyder concept represents an essential step for Porsche, in producing genuine electric-mobility.

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