March 9th, 2010 
admin Porsche says the 918 Spyder is a car with “extremely low fuel consumption, supreme performance and long electric range” representing “an essential milestone in Porsche’s strategy on the way to genuine electro-mobility”.
“Electric cars will be important in the future for sports cars,” says Porsche boss Michael Macht.
The Porsche 918 has several typical Porsche features reflecting the brands roots and there is a high possibility that the 918 will see the production line as Porsche has never shown a concept car that wasn’t built. If they do produce the 918 it will have a price tag reputed to be well over $1 million.
The 918 Spyder borrows its 3.4-litre V8 engine from the Porsche RS Spyder Le Mans race car - this engine produces about 375kW.
However, in the Porsche 918 Spyder concept the V8 is teamed with three electric motors, which can boost power a further 160kW, taking overall output to about 540kW.
Electrical energy is generated either by the Lithium-ion battery – which can also be recharged in a regular powerpoint – or a giant flywheel that can convert the kinetic energy that would normally be lost in heat through the brakes.
The 918 Spyder has four different operating modes, including one that allows the car to be driven for up to 25km as a pure electric vehicle. There are three other modes – Hybrid, Sport Hybrid and Race Hybrid – which use the V8 engine and electric motors for varying levels of performance and power.
A button on the steering wheel allows the driver to choose between the four operating modes.
Porsche claims that the 918 Spyder is the fastest road car it has built and its laps the infamous Nurburgring race track, with a time less than 7 minutes 30 seconds.
The Porsche 918 Spyder also has retractable air intakes designed to improve aerodynamics and shove air into the engine under pressure for increased power, as well as an adjustable rear wing.
This is the latest concept sports car to feature hybrid technology as a way to boost performance and use less fuel making it almost eco-friendly to be seen cruising down the highway with a hot babe. Porsche is actively focusing on a range of petrol-electric hybrid cars as well as an electric sports car which is a smart move if you consider the Co2 emissions produced by most performance roadster and sports cars.
Read the Full Press Release Here
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