Photo: Sandor Boldog via Behance
Porsche may not have yet admitted to this publicly, but the race to design the all-electric 911 is on. Actually, it probably started quite a long time ago - definitely no later than 2015 when Volkswagen, Porsche's mother company, did that naughty thing we all heard about.
We're by no means "in the know" when it comes to the company's strategies and policies, but we're pretty sure that if it were up to Porsche, the 911 would never embrace electric powertrains. A mild hybrid to help boost its performance? Maybe, as long as weight isn't a problem. Other than that, though, the Germans would keep the 911 away from EV technology like you would keep a toddler away from a power outlet.
But it's not up to Porsche. The powers that be appear to have decided the fate of the internal combustion engine, and not only is it grim but also coming a lot sooner than a lot of people would have wanted. And when we say "people" we mean mostly motorheads and those who work in the automotive industry.
It feels as though not everyone realizes that, at some point, the only alternative to an all-electric 911 is no 911 at all. While some might say "good, it's better dead than dragging a battery around while making no sound", most will probably salute the classic model carrying on and hopefully, finding ways to adapt the things that used to make the sports car great to the new type of powertrain.
However, that's for the engineers to figure out. We're only here to talk about the design, and while the two do go hand in hand to a large degree, that only applies to actual models or official concept cars. As far as the world of independent designers posting their work online, it's basically the wild, wild west.
Sandor Boldog's work, however, is a little more carefully planned and actually revolves around a few self-imposed technical limitations. He placed the electric motor at the rear and the battery under the vehicle's floor - both obvious choices - but probably as a tribute to the early 911s, he also chose to have them air-cooled. Considering how tricky and important battery management is in an EV - particularly a performance-oriented one - that's not very sustainable.
However, all the air vents on the bodywork do help the 911 E resemble an ICE version more, so there are some benefits to be had. Speaking of appearance, Sandor admits his electric 911 draws a lot of inspiration from the 935 model, and it shows. The front end, in particular, is very reminiscent of the 1980s race car with the tall intakes on each side and the large central one between them. The headlights feel more in line with the current Taycan electric model, though they also remind us of a little of a late 1980s Chevrolet Camaro - neither of them a bad thing.
Overall, while we do like Sandor's entry in the unofficial competition for designing the electric 911, we feel as though his focus on air cooling ultimately hurts the vehicle's styling. EVs are known for their front-end hermiticity, which allows them to achieve drag coefficients ICE cars can only dream of, so it makes no sense to ruin that. It makes even less sense if you consider how the 911's rear-engine architecture allowed it to have a streamlined shape and a low nose even when using a gasoline engine, so the front definitely needs some tweaking.
As a whole, though, it's a pretty nice concept that would probably find a lot of takers if Porsche ever put it on sale. Electric sports cars can’t come soon enough, and what better brand than Porsche and better model than the 911 to start the show?
But it's not up to Porsche. The powers that be appear to have decided the fate of the internal combustion engine, and not only is it grim but also coming a lot sooner than a lot of people would have wanted. And when we say "people" we mean mostly motorheads and those who work in the automotive industry.
It feels as though not everyone realizes that, at some point, the only alternative to an all-electric 911 is no 911 at all. While some might say "good, it's better dead than dragging a battery around while making no sound", most will probably salute the classic model carrying on and hopefully, finding ways to adapt the things that used to make the sports car great to the new type of powertrain.
However, that's for the engineers to figure out. We're only here to talk about the design, and while the two do go hand in hand to a large degree, that only applies to actual models or official concept cars. As far as the world of independent designers posting their work online, it's basically the wild, wild west.
Sandor Boldog's work, however, is a little more carefully planned and actually revolves around a few self-imposed technical limitations. He placed the electric motor at the rear and the battery under the vehicle's floor - both obvious choices - but probably as a tribute to the early 911s, he also chose to have them air-cooled. Considering how tricky and important battery management is in an EV - particularly a performance-oriented one - that's not very sustainable.
However, all the air vents on the bodywork do help the 911 E resemble an ICE version more, so there are some benefits to be had. Speaking of appearance, Sandor admits his electric 911 draws a lot of inspiration from the 935 model, and it shows. The front end, in particular, is very reminiscent of the 1980s race car with the tall intakes on each side and the large central one between them. The headlights feel more in line with the current Taycan electric model, though they also remind us of a little of a late 1980s Chevrolet Camaro - neither of them a bad thing.
Overall, while we do like Sandor's entry in the unofficial competition for designing the electric 911, we feel as though his focus on air cooling ultimately hurts the vehicle's styling. EVs are known for their front-end hermiticity, which allows them to achieve drag coefficients ICE cars can only dream of, so it makes no sense to ruin that. It makes even less sense if you consider how the 911's rear-engine architecture allowed it to have a streamlined shape and a low nose even when using a gasoline engine, so the front definitely needs some tweaking.
As a whole, though, it's a pretty nice concept that would probably find a lot of takers if Porsche ever put it on sale. Electric sports cars can’t come soon enough, and what better brand than Porsche and better model than the 911 to start the show?
Google News