RE: Ruf Unveils Electric Cayenne
Thursday 10th December 2009
Just in time to take advantage of the zero-rated company car tax band for electric vehicles announced in yesterday's pre-budget report, Ruf, the mad German Porsche tuner, has revealed its second attempt on the theme. It's based on the Cayenne, it's called the Stormster and Ruf says that it's the first all-electric SUV.
The Ruf Stormster is powered by the same 362bhp Siemens electric motor that also provides motive power for the 911-based electric sports car. Unfortunately, the Stormster is rather lardy, so performance is a little stunted.
It might not take you days to recharge either - Mitsubishi has just released a fast-charge system that can charge its own i-MiEV electric city car (which has the dubious honour of recording the second lowest P.H. O'Meter rating so far) from flat to 80 percent full in 30mins. Okay, so it's not exactly as quick as a petrol refill, but it's getting there...
Ruf Unveils Electric Cayenne
Want to take advantage of the new zero-rate company car tax band? This one's very green...
Ruf revealed its first eRuf electric car based on the Porsche 911, back in October 2008, but cramming in enough batteries to give the car a decent range was a tough ask. Using the Cayenne as a base gives Ruf's engineers a bit more room to manoeuvre.
Enter the Stormster, or Stormster Grun, should you choose to get your batteries fitted into Ruf's widebody version of the Cayenne (pictured above).
In fact, at 2670kg, the Stormster is 315kg (or about three-and-a-half fat people) heavier than the heaviest standard Porsche Cayenne - the 493bhp Turbo. That translates to a 0-62mph sprint of around 10 seconds and 94mph top speed, while the Lithium ion batteries give a 125-mile (maximum) range.
Appropriately, the Ruf Stormster is making its public debut not at a glamorous motor show, but at the European Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. It just gets more and more exciting, doesn't it?
Discussion
Amazing feat, but the car needs to shed some weight in order to become attractive. Electric power seems the way to go and IMO with thousands of engineers exploring many options, some technical breakthrough in lighter and more powerful batteries should arrive in the near future. Charging them quickly will also be a challenge to find the solution.
t. We want a yellowbird not a green bullfrog !Scuffers said:
2670kg.....
FFS what's the point?
Exactly. Without even factoring in the environmental element of the production of Lithium ion batteries (about which I know nothing but doubt they just grow on a pile of well rotted compost) which vehicle actually is the 'greener' in terms of run-time CO2 production: 2.6 tons of metal powered by nuclear/fossil-fuelled power stations or a 123d straight out of the showroom?FFS what's the point?
DaveR said:
Scuffers said:
2670kg.....
FFS what's the point?
Exactly. Without even factoring in the environmental element of the production of Lithium ion batteries (about which I know nothing but doubt they just grow on a pile of well rotted compost) which vehicle actually is the 'greener' in terms of run-time CO2 production: 2.6 tons of metal powered by nuclear/fossil-fuelled power stations or a 123d straight out of the showroom?FFS what's the point?
"ooh, there's a bandwagon, lets jump on it!" 
As posted above, what's the point in creating an even heavier, slower version of a vehicle that's actually LESS green than the original because the power is STILL generated by fossil-fuels?!?
OK, in France (majority nuke power) this might make some (limited) sense. But in the UK, US, Russia, China, India etc., this is just a big white elephant.
As posted above, what's the point in creating an even heavier, slower version of a vehicle that's actually LESS green than the original because the power is STILL generated by fossil-fuels?!?
OK, in France (majority nuke power) this might make some (limited) sense. But in the UK, US, Russia, China, India etc., this is just a big white elephant.
That's everything I hate rolled into one: It's too big and conspicuous, crass, ostentatious, pretentious, too heavy, electric and downright hideous.
Well done Ruf, you have made some truely amazing cars, and quite possibly the worst car in the world. I would rather drive a G Wizz and be seen as a Noddy eco hippy than a pretend flash git hippy in something far too big to be powered by electric.
Well done Ruf, you have made some truely amazing cars, and quite possibly the worst car in the world. I would rather drive a G Wizz and be seen as a Noddy eco hippy than a pretend flash git hippy in something far too big to be powered by electric.
Dooshbag said:
I'm telling you, all electric cars are sh*t, every single one. Sh*t.
Not one has the real range for all-year round everyday use, not one has a viable price either, let alone the styling/performance that forms the basis of most car buyers decision making proccess.
My favorite statement, oft used by electric car manufacturers is this "the XXX has a range of 100 miles, enough for 80% of most journeys". Ie, you'll still need a real car for 20% of your journeys, and a real car may as well do the other 80% too.
Out of interest, when we've finally legislated against all petrol/diesel cars, and the tax revenue has dried up, will we start taxing electric cars to make up for the shortfall ? Shall I keep a V8 in a barn somewhere, waiting for the day ?
We've seen 'electric cars, coming soon' for decades. Why does no-one buy them ? Because they're sh*t.
People already DO buy them! They already are a viable solution for quite a few people. Hateful though they are, my neighbour has a Gwiz that he says paid for itself in 2 years.Not one has the real range for all-year round everyday use, not one has a viable price either, let alone the styling/performance that forms the basis of most car buyers decision making proccess.
My favorite statement, oft used by electric car manufacturers is this "the XXX has a range of 100 miles, enough for 80% of most journeys". Ie, you'll still need a real car for 20% of your journeys, and a real car may as well do the other 80% too.
Out of interest, when we've finally legislated against all petrol/diesel cars, and the tax revenue has dried up, will we start taxing electric cars to make up for the shortfall ? Shall I keep a V8 in a barn somewhere, waiting for the day ?
We've seen 'electric cars, coming soon' for decades. Why does no-one buy them ? Because they're sh*t.
The majority of people will find the upcoming range-extended hybrids are ideal for every day use.
Bring it on. That said, I don't think a 3 ton pig of a converted Porsche is particularly bright, but I think it serves its purpose for Ruf.
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