Porsche Boxster E Puts on an Electrifying Show in Berlin

Electric-powered rear and four wheel-drive variants of the Porsche Boxster E roadster attracted a lot of attention at last week’s Michelin Challenge Bibendum in Berlin. Demonstrating the everyday practicality of all-electric vehicles and how they are used, especially in terms of driving and battery charging, the electric sportscars were shown to a wide audience of representatives from politics, industry, trade and research at the global forum for sustainable mobility in the German capital.

The German carmaker also showcased its Active Sound Design system. All electric Boxster E models are comparatively quiet on the road, so Porsche engineers had to fit a device that provides drivers with acoustic feedback as well as alerting pedestrians and other road users.

"The electrical mobility is a central challenge of the coming years and the engineers at Porsche would like to contribute with the usual excellence of them to be resolved. The Boxster E will help us as mobile laboratories in solving the practical problems of electric vehicles the way that our customers expect, " said Porsche CEO Matthias Müller at the launch of the Boxster E.

Powering the four-wheel drive Porsche Boxster E is a pair of electric motors that provide a combined 180 kW (241 hp), which is comparable with the standard petrol-burner. The juice for the motors comes from an on-board battery pack that develops 29 kWh. The two motors enable the two-seater to sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.5 seconds from a standing start. Its top speed, limited to 200 km/h (124 mph), is achieved without any gear change at all.

Meanwhile, the rear-wheel drive Boxster E only has one electric motor in the back, so output is limited to 90 kW (120 hp). This model can sprint from a standing start to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 9.8 seconds, with a top speed of 150 km/h (93 mph).