Porsches aren't known for their eco-friendliness, but that could soon change if German modifier RUF Auto Centre has anything to with it. Bored with slapping outrageous bodykits on high-end motors, it's turned its hand to electric conversions, the latest of which features in a Porsche 911.
The eRUF Concept Model A 2008, to give it its full name, ditches the standard internal combustion engine for a 'three-phase AC motor' producing around 150kW -- or around 204hp in conventional terms. Not bad considering a petrol-driven Porsche 911 Carrera produces around the equivalent of 239kW.
An impressive 650nm of torque is available from the instant you hit the go pedal, and 0-60mph happens in "under 7 seconds". Electricity is provided by lithium-ion batteries that allow a range of 250-320km, depending on how fast you drive it. Recharge time is approximately 10 hours.
We like the sound of this, but we must admit a Porsche 911 isn't the first car we'd consider for an electric motor transplant. It weighs in the region of 1,910kg, which is about as much as a Ford Mondeo. Personally, we'd have stuck it in something like a Lotus Elise, which weighs 901kg -- literally a tonne less.
The eRUF Concept Model A 2008 is just a concept at present, but here's hoping RUF actually builds the thing. More pics over the page. -Rory Reid
RUF doesn't appear to made many external modifications to the body of the vehicle. If you saw this in traffic, you'd assume it was a standard 911 -- until you realised there was no engine noise.
In a straight drag race, the Tesla Roadster would eat it for breakfast. 0-60mph happens in under 7 seconds, so it's fast, but only as fast as, say, a hot hatch.
Those don't appear to be standard Porsche alloy wheels. We wonder if RUF has replaced the stock ones with super-light alternatives to help keep the weight down.
A diagram of the battery and engine layout. God knows what the handling in this car will be like. Like a standard 911, most of the weight is at the rear, which indicates it might have a tendency to oversteer. But since the electric motor and batteries weigh less than the standard internal combustion engine, understeer is a possibility. Guess we'll have to wait until we steal drive one.
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