Porsche has confirmed a few more details surrounding its first all-electric car, previewed in concept form as the Mission E.
The confirmed production version is currently referred to by the monicker J1, according to Autocar. Engineers are said to have been tasked with building a new platform from the ground up, rather than adapting an existing chassis from Porsche or other brands under the Volkswagen Group umbrella.
Like the Tesla Model S and many other EVs, the J1 will place batteries low in the chassis to optimize center of gravity, cabin utilization and weight distribution. If the production model matches the concept specs, drivers should expect more than 300 miles on a single charge.
Borrowing electrification technology refined in Porsche’s 919 Le Mans racer, the J1 will likely reach 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds and quickly recover energy for repeated battery-draining launches in a short time span. The company suggests the Mission E could theoretically lap the Nurburgring circuit in under eight minutes.
The automaker plans to spend more than $1.1 billion to produce the J1 at its home factory in Zuffenhausen. The investment is expected to soften the highly profitable brand’s financial growth in the coming years, after shipping more than 200,000 units last year.
Despite the significant funding required to bring the J1 to market by 2020, chief executive Oliver Blume promises “many new products” are being kept in the pipeline, according to quotes published by Reuters.
Live images by Ronan Glon.
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