911 GT3 R Hybrid
Thursday 11th February 2010
Porsche will unveil this new hybrid racing car in the metal at the Geneva Motor Show next month. The 911 GT3 R Hybrid is a one-off special designed to help develop and promote Porsche's hybrid technology efforts, and the tech being used here is destined to end up in Porsche road cars.
But the innovative thing about this car is the way that it stores its power. Rather than lugging about heavy batteries, a flywheel sits in place of a passenger seat. The wheel can spin at up to 40,000 rpm.
This comes just a month after Porsche's CEO Michael Macht declared that Porsche did not see hybrid cars as a part of its future. However this is not the contradiction it may seem, as Macht did make clear that Porsche was interested in regenerative braking and efficiency. So whilst you're still unlikely to see a Prius-style Porker running on full electric power at low speeds any time soon, an energy-recovering power-boosting hybrid road car is looking to be a pretty safe bet.
Porsche Reveals Hybrid 911 Racer
GT3 R Hybrid points to future road car technology
The GT3 R Hybrid uses kinetic energy stored up from braking, in a similar way to F1 'KERS' systems. The normally wasted energy instead goes to two 60KW electric motors on the front axle which act as generators, able to then redeploy that energy in six to eight second bursts.
There are no official figures for the amount of extra power the electrical gubbins provides, but with the same 480bhp NA flat-six found in the normal 997 GT3 R as a starting point this is not going to be sluggish.
Porsche boasts that this type of hybrid tech is a real advantage in racing, as it allows them to either run with a smaller fuel tank and save weight, or to run for longer using the existing fuel tank. Presumably with range in mind, Porsche is testing out the new car later this year at the Nürburgring 24 hours race (15-16 May) after its Geneva debut.
As you might expect, our savvy Porsche forum picked this story up this morning, so we've linked that thread to the 'Comment on this story' link below.
 Hybrid is based on 2010 GT3 R |
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Discussion
Nice ...
Stuttgart. Exactly 110 years after Ferdinand Porsche developed the world’s first car with hybrid drive, the Lohner Porsche Semper Vivus, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is once again taking up this visionary drive concept in production-based GT racing: During the Geneva Motor Show, a Porsche 911 GT3 R with innovative hybrid drive is making its debut, opening up a new chapter in the history of Porsche with more than 20,000 wins in 45 years scored by the extremely successful Porsche 911 in racing trim.
The innovative hybrid technology featured in the car has been developed especially for racing, standing out significantly in its configuration and components from conventional hybrid systems. In this case, electrical front axle drive with two electric motors developing 60 kW each supplements the 480-bhp four-litre flat-six at the rear of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid. A further significant point is that instead of the usual batteries in a hybrid road car, an electrical flywheel power generator fitted in the interior next to the driver delivers energy to the electric motors.
The flywheel generator itself is an electric motor with its rotor spinning at speeds of up to 40,000 rpm, storing energy mechanically as rotation energy. The flywheel generator is charged whenever the driver applies the brakes, with the two electric motors reversing their function on the front axle and acting themselves as generators. Then, whenever necessary, that is when accelerating out of a bend or when overtaking, the driver is able to call up extra energy from the charged flywheel generator, the flywheel being slowed down electromagnetically in the generator mode and thus supplying up to 120 kW to the two electric motors at the front from its kinetic energy. This additional power is available to the driver after each charge process for approximately 6 - 8 seconds.
Energy formerly converted – and thus wasted – into heat upon every application of the brakes, is now highly efficiently converted into additional drive power.
Depending on racing conditions, hybrid drive is used in this case not only for extra power, but also to save fuel. This again increases the efficiency and, accordingly, the performance of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid, for example by reducing the weight of the tank or making pitstops less frequent.
After its debut in Geneva the 911 GT3 R Hybrid will be tested in long-distance races on the Nürburgring. The highlight of this test programme will be the 24 Hours on the Nordschleife of Nürburgring on May 15th and 16th. The focus is not on the 911 GT3 R Hybrid winning the race, but rather serving as a spearhead in technology and a “racing laboratory” providing know-how on the subsequent use of hybrid technology in road-going sports cars.
The 911 GT3 R Hybrid is a perfect example of the Porsche Intelligent Performance philosophy, a principle to be found in every Porsche: More power on less fuel, more efficiency and lower CO2 emissions – on the track and on the road.
Stuttgart. Exactly 110 years after Ferdinand Porsche developed the world’s first car with hybrid drive, the Lohner Porsche Semper Vivus, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is once again taking up this visionary drive concept in production-based GT racing: During the Geneva Motor Show, a Porsche 911 GT3 R with innovative hybrid drive is making its debut, opening up a new chapter in the history of Porsche with more than 20,000 wins in 45 years scored by the extremely successful Porsche 911 in racing trim.
The innovative hybrid technology featured in the car has been developed especially for racing, standing out significantly in its configuration and components from conventional hybrid systems. In this case, electrical front axle drive with two electric motors developing 60 kW each supplements the 480-bhp four-litre flat-six at the rear of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid. A further significant point is that instead of the usual batteries in a hybrid road car, an electrical flywheel power generator fitted in the interior next to the driver delivers energy to the electric motors.
The flywheel generator itself is an electric motor with its rotor spinning at speeds of up to 40,000 rpm, storing energy mechanically as rotation energy. The flywheel generator is charged whenever the driver applies the brakes, with the two electric motors reversing their function on the front axle and acting themselves as generators. Then, whenever necessary, that is when accelerating out of a bend or when overtaking, the driver is able to call up extra energy from the charged flywheel generator, the flywheel being slowed down electromagnetically in the generator mode and thus supplying up to 120 kW to the two electric motors at the front from its kinetic energy. This additional power is available to the driver after each charge process for approximately 6 - 8 seconds.
Energy formerly converted – and thus wasted – into heat upon every application of the brakes, is now highly efficiently converted into additional drive power.
Depending on racing conditions, hybrid drive is used in this case not only for extra power, but also to save fuel. This again increases the efficiency and, accordingly, the performance of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid, for example by reducing the weight of the tank or making pitstops less frequent.
After its debut in Geneva the 911 GT3 R Hybrid will be tested in long-distance races on the Nürburgring. The highlight of this test programme will be the 24 Hours on the Nordschleife of Nürburgring on May 15th and 16th. The focus is not on the 911 GT3 R Hybrid winning the race, but rather serving as a spearhead in technology and a “racing laboratory” providing know-how on the subsequent use of hybrid technology in road-going sports cars.
The 911 GT3 R Hybrid is a perfect example of the Porsche Intelligent Performance philosophy, a principle to be found in every Porsche: More power on less fuel, more efficiency and lower CO2 emissions – on the track and on the road.
Edited by Joe911 on Thursday 11th February 09:32
What use is a flywheel unless it is heavy like a battery? I'd be interested to know what this thing weighs.
I'm a big fan of hybrid tech, but I think they are barking up the wrong tree with flywheels, especially since I can't see how they would translate onto a road car. On a race track with regular corners, it makes more sense.
I'm a big fan of hybrid tech, but I think they are barking up the wrong tree with flywheels, especially since I can't see how they would translate onto a road car. On a race track with regular corners, it makes more sense.
"Rather than lugging about heavy batteries, a flywheel sits in place of a passenger seat"
So how much does the flywheel generator/motor + 2 generator/motors at the front weigh then? In order to deliver 8 seconds of 120KW, surely the flywheel would have to have some fairly significant mass which will produce a gyroscopic effect and add weight, making a super stable heavier racing car.
So how much does the flywheel generator/motor + 2 generator/motors at the front weigh then? In order to deliver 8 seconds of 120KW, surely the flywheel would have to have some fairly significant mass which will produce a gyroscopic effect and add weight, making a super stable heavier racing car.
Id be expecting a road going homologation special out pretty soon, there are rumours of it racing in next year at the 2011 Le Mans 24hrs so it would need homologting before then. With the next generation GT-R possibly being a Hybrid driving the Front wheels electrically it should make for an interesting head to head circa 2013! Cant wait to see the times from the 'ring!
oagent said:
"Rather than lugging about heavy batteries, a flywheel sits in place of a passenger seat"
So how much does the flywheel generator/motor + 2 generator/motors at the front weigh then? In order to deliver 8 seconds of 120KW, surely the flywheel would have to have some fairly significant mass which will produce a gyroscopic effect and add weight, making a super stable heavier racing car.
I'm only speculating here, but it seems to me that there's an embedded assumption there that a flywheel must weigh at least as much as a set of batteries. But infact, the flywheel just has to be of enough weight to be a decent flywheel - it doesn't need to be as heavy as battery packs. I don't know how much mass is needed to produce 6-8 seconds of boost, but I don't see why it couldn't be significantly less than heavy batteries. It may also be faster to absorb and dissipate enegry, though that's a bit of a guess.So how much does the flywheel generator/motor + 2 generator/motors at the front weigh then? In order to deliver 8 seconds of 120KW, surely the flywheel would have to have some fairly significant mass which will produce a gyroscopic effect and add weight, making a super stable heavier racing car.
To put it another way, would there by much benefit to a flywheel if it weighed as much as batteries? I can't see why else they'd do it.
Again, all speculation, but there must be a reason behind this design choice.
[Edited for grammar]
Edited by SimonSaid on Thursday 11th February 13:09
Im not totally sure i want a heavy fly wheel spinning at 40,000rpm sitting next to me instead of a passenger seat. Sounds scary. Im sure ive seen pictures of where someone has attempted t0 lighten there flywheel which has just resulted in it coming loose and shooting straight through the bonnet.
nice to try something new but sounds scary to me
nice to try something new but sounds scary to me
alexpa said:
Nice wheels!
Cars are becoming more like toys. The tech brings to mind the pull back and let go toy cars.
They really are, I even had a Tonka Porsche that worked in a very similar way when I was a child. You pushed it along which turned a flywheel that sat there spinning until you pressed a button on the roof that engaged the drive gear. It was actually a pretty nice toy, the gear ratios were different for input and output to the flywheel so it really went (made a great whirring noise to annoy my mother too).Cars are becoming more like toys. The tech brings to mind the pull back and let go toy cars.
donteatpeople said:
alexpa said:
Nice wheels!
Cars are becoming more like toys. The tech brings to mind the pull back and let go toy cars.
They really are, I even had a Tonka Porsche that worked in a very similar way when I was a child. You pushed it along which turned a flywheel that sat there spinning until you pressed a button on the roof that engaged the drive gear. It was actually a pretty nice toy, the gear ratios were different for input and output to the flywheel so it really went (made a great whirring noise to annoy my mother too).Cars are becoming more like toys. The tech brings to mind the pull back and let go toy cars.
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