Porsche reveals 911 Hybrid

Good GRIEF! Look at all the grills to block!

Bob Wilson

ps. You might be a hybrid owner if your first thought is ...

 

hahahahaha!

 

I wouldn't want the flywheel to be spinning 40,000 RPM when I am sitting at the light.

 

Battery cars are the future of racing--with all that low rpm torque.

 

No batteries in this car--from the article:

The GT3 R Hybrid has no batteries, which would add too much weight. Instead, energy is stored using a flywheel generator that can spin at up to 40,000 rpm. Power is sent to the flywheel generator during braking and that power is available for six to eight seconds following each charge.

This sounds like the KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) introduced last year in Formula 1 racing (their flywheel spins up to 80,000 rpm!).

 

This 911 uses the Williams KERS system from F1. Actually, Williams never used their system in a race though. All other teams were using electric KERS systems. The problem with freewheel is it inertia affecting the car's stability under cornering and inability to hold energy for prolonged times. Main asset is its lower weight, compared to electric system.

 

I know it was a joke, but ford is working on electrical grill blocks for aerodynamics. I think a gps aided predictive trip could really put the engine and power in the right mode (driver could select most economical, fastest, etc and specify zones for hill climbs etc. Add to it wireless trafic prediction (traffic should only require equipment not a monthly fee soon) and everyone can get a mpg boost.

On the 911 hybrid, I want one. Electric motors can really give a better torque feel. BMW's 7hybrid gets 25% better fuel economy and a more responsive engine (more accelleration, better feel) and it just adds the electric flywheel.

 

The porch hybrid is just for show. Don't expect one in their showrooms any time soon.

BMW OTOH, is actually selling hybrid 7s and X6s as this post is being written. Expect to see a diesel hybrid in the X5 in a couple of years....

 

That is the dumbest thing I've seen Porsche ever do. Adding that much complexity won't enhance performance much, if any. A flywheel??? Now that is a great concept. A flywheel imparts a gyro effect on the vehicle which will only hurt the handling.

Keith

 

I know, just want them to build one for us. It would need at least a Lion battery and electric airconditioning with that super capacitor. Maybe do it on a $70K boxter so it's worth the R&D. Smooth high torque accelleration and 4 wheel drive with better fe would be pretty cool. Imagine if a boxter can get the milage of a chevy malibu. DIfferent markets and costs, but it would decouple the sports car from bad city milage and bad trafic jam conditioning.

I really like what BMW and Mercedes are doing. I really am interested in the BMW 3 series plug in concept (4wd, power of the M3 but great fe). Let's get the choices out there and burn less oil.

 

hahahha

but if its a real porsch 911 then the ICE is in the back....

 

I am a bit biased (I own a BMW 3er), but BMW seems to be more focused on alternatives than MB (or porch). There will probably be a 1 series that is a true EV. BMW learned an awful lot with their trial of the electric MINI. Expect to see another iteration in the 'traditional' BMW line (most likely an electric 1er). If BMW does do an electric 1er, I hope they don't confine themselves to SoCal and a 2 year lease, but make the cars available for purchase throughout California. An electric 1er would be the ultimate way (for me at least) to give the middle-fingered salute to the oil companies.

 

I've been driving 911s for a long time.

The mod is for race cars. Its pretty simple, add a super cap, 2 small motors, change the alternator to a small motor generator. You get more hp and 4wd (better control) to pull out of turns, and better fe so you can carry fewer kg of fuel or fewer fill ups (its probably normal until the last pit, but you can wait longer for a yellow). We should be able to see how it works from the races.

 

Would using twin flywheels, counter-rotating, negate any negative effects of the system?

 

One flywheel would cancel out the other....

 

In the old days it added mechanical complexity and weight, which outweighed the benefit. Not sure about now. In non race cars electric flywheels are much better. They can take more energy from braking and apply it much later. The down side is cost and weight.

 

BMW is just looking around the door.
the mini E is not that long on the road

what do you think toyota know about ev's and alternative's
a lot more the bmw i think

 

Hey, Daniel likes electric Porches. Maybe he'd want one of these. Who knows, it might be cheaper than the one he's got. Or will have, if and when it's done.

 

BMW was part of the consortium that jointly developed the GM full size Tahoe/Yukon hybrids. I think they know enough. What they learned from the MINI E gets them close if not on a par with Toyota. A 100% E vehicle has less complexity than a hybrid - there is no requirement to manage two powertrains. And the MINI E doesn't have the brake issues that the Prius has....