MNN - Mother Nature Network

You know hybrid and electric vehicles have gained influence when Porsche steps into the mix. Last year, Porsche’s announcement of a possible 918 Spyder Hybrid was met with enthusiasm from Porsche fans around the world. Fast forward to this week and Porsche’s unveiling of the Boxster E prototype, which was met with similar enthusiasm from its fan base.

 

The Porsche Boxster E prototype will help the company fine tune its electric vehicle technology for use in a future electrified model. Porsche chief executive Matthias Muller was quoted in an article for the UK-based Expert Reviews website.

"The electrical vehicle is a central challenge of the coming years, and the engineers at Porsche would like to contribute with their usual excellence to help it to be resolved. The Boxster E prototypes will help us, serving as mobile laboratories in solving the practical problems of electric vehicles the way that our customers expect." Source: Expert Reviews

The engine in the Porsche Boxster E comes with approximately 240 horsepower, good for a 0-60 mph time of 5.3 seconds and an estimated driving range of 100 miles per charge. Since the prototype is an all-electric vehicle, the quick trip from 0 to 60 also comes with zero emissions and zero eco guilt.

 

While Porsche works on fine-tuning its electric engine, the company is also continuing to expand its hybrid vehicle lineup. The Porsche Panamera S Hybrid will be available at dealerships later this year. The four-door hybrid vehicle is also quick, with a 0 to 60 mph time of 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 167 mph. This is obviously a hybrid vehicle designed for the typical Porsche driver. Porsche is awaiting the official EPA fuel efficiency estimates for the Panamera S Hybrid but the vehicle has achieved 7.1 L/100 km (approximately 33 mpg) fuel efficiency in European testing.