RE: Chris Harris video: Porsche 918 Spyder

[strudel]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benz_Patent_Motorwage...

0.66 hp from a 954cc engine; we all start somewhere. Noise does add something to make a car more special, but this car is great because it can be quiet when you want it to. Magic eh?

Give it 5 years and you'll probably be able to swap those batteries with something 2 or 3 times the range. The modern everyday computer is the same power as a supercomputer from 20 years ago, so once we really get going fully with development batteries will be great I reckon.

[Plainview23]

As is the way with such things I suspect the onset of supercar-hybrids may mark the "top" on petrol prices. Crude has been struggling for a couple of months now and there's every possibility it rolls much lower. Would be pretty humorous!

[Chr1sch]

Wow if this I what is required to keep super cars and Porsches in general on the road in the future, I'm in - what a stunning piece of kit!

[RX7]

Diderot said:

Have you thought about the pollution involved with the battery technology? Obviously not.

No one wants to seem to acknowledge there is any form of pollution when it comes to hybrid or full on electric vehicles.

Is there a direct comparison from manufacture and running between petrol driven and electric/hyrbid, does anyone know the actual pollution levels between the two so to speak?

Still see all this as like turning up to an earthquake with a dustpan and brush!

[masermartin]

RX7 said:

Diderot said:

Have you thought about the pollution involved with the battery technology? Obviously not.

No one wants to seem to acknowledge there is any form of pollution when it comes to hybrid or full on electric vehicles.

Is there a direct comparison from manufacture and running between petrol driven and electric/hyrbid, does anyone know the actual pollution levels between the two so to speak?

Still see all this as like turning up to an earthquake with a dustpan and brush!

Maybe. However, rather than turning every single motor vehicle in the planet into 99% waste gas recycling plant and 1% actual vehicle, wouldn't it be a great idea if we did all of that waste product management at the central locations where batteries are built/reprocessed and where the electricity is generated?

[Dogtown]

Very interesting. They sure are some clever folk. Imagine the brain power these guys have, and also being able to convey some very specific technical data in a second language. Very impressive.

[RichardR]

Max_Torque said:

RichardR said:

Doshy said:

No belts, wierd.

That left me wonderwing how they charge the batteries from the engine!

Simple, from the Emachine that is connected to the engine flywheel.

No belts are required because the PAS and A/C are run from the high voltage battery, which is charged by the engine via rear Emachine, or from the front Emachine when using re-gen braking as the energy source.
There will be a small (ish, probs ~1.5kW) DC-DC dropping the high voltage of the main (6.8kWh) energy storage battery (probably ~475 - 600Vdc) down to 12Vdc (nominal) for things like cabin systems / lighting / ICE / HVAC etc. A very small LIPO chemistry low voltage storage system can be used easily here, because the rear Emachine is also used to start the engine, and so the low voltage energy storage does not have to be high current capable. The issue of cold start (V poor battery performance below approx 5degC) is circumvented by using power from the high voltage energy storage system to keep itself warm, even when the car is "off". Generally, and like cars such as the GM Volt/Ampera, the manufacturer will recommend the car is left "plugged in" at all times when parked, and may well mandate this at extreme temps (<5degC or >30degC).

Now that's what I call a comprehensive answer!

Seems like I was being a bit too 'retro' in my thinking!

[paul_k]

This silly hybrid trend needs to stop.

Can't help thinking they should have fitted a quad turbo set up to get rid of the lag the standard turbo 4.6 engine has. Mass would then be back to 1200kg and HP and Torque would be similar to the hybrid.

Yes, fuel consumption would be worse but if I had 1/2 million £+ I would definitely not worry about it. It may even take on the P1!

[vrsmxtb]

As a complete aside, I wonder if pedestrian/cyclist fatality figures will rise once silent electric cars are the norm.

Man maths says use race mode at all times to avoid killing someone

[OlberJ]

paul_k said:

This silly hybrid trend needs to stop.

Can't help thinking they should have fitted a quad turbo set up to get rid of the lag the standard turbo 4.6 engine has. Mass would then be back to 1200kg and HP and Torque would be similar to the hybrid.

Yes, fuel consumption would be worse but if I had 1/2 million £+ I would definitely not worry about it. It may even take on the P1!

What and Errr, what?