In the global landscape, fuel emissions are a big problem for the environment and car manufacturers. With more scrutiny coming down on manufacturers to abide by emission restrictions, and fuel efficiency requirements, the best option for car makers is to go electric. It is now up to global car brands to follow suit and create electric vehicles.
Some car brands have already taken steps to create electric cars; one such brand is Porsche. Interestingly, Porsche is a sports car and SUV manufacturer known for its iconic engines which generate a lot of horsepower and noise. This is a problem for the manufacturer because electric engines do not create engine noise, which is a drawback for the Porsche brand.
This has not deterred Porsche as the company has spent the past two years developing the Mission E sports sedan, and plan to put out an electric car by 2019.
Porsche's effort comes as no surprise as the car industry is shifting its focus to electric vehicles as restrictions on car emissions get tougher. The European Union has plans to tighten emission regulations further by 2020. Other car brands have laid out to meet the emission requirements like Mercedes-Benz with its EQ brand. Audi also plans to introduce electric vehicles in 2018 and 2020.
Porsche's Mission E has a budget of €1 billion ($1.1 billion) which will be used to hire roughly 1,400 people to design, build, and market the car. The manufacturer is also looking to an 800-volt battery pack instead of the industry standard of 400-volts. Porsche plans to fit the car with technology that would allow customers and owners to charge their vehicles to 80 percent in 15 minutes, which is good for about 250 miles of range.
Also, lighter cables will be installed, which would help reduce the overall car weight by 50 pounds. This would help increase the range further. The Mission E would have around 600 horsepower, giving it a top speed of 150 mph, and a 0-60 acceleration in 3.5 seconds.
Since Porsche is known for the noise generated by its engines, the company is looking for ways to insert that noise into the cabin of the car through the use of stereos or by amplifying the hum of the electric motor.