Porsche develops its EV sports car platform with this special Cayman GT4

Wider than a normal 718 Cayman GT4, the ePerformance is also more powerful—and a lot more electric. Lap times are said to be comparable to the 992 GT3 Cup car.
Enlarge / Broader than a ordinary 718 Cayman GT4, the ePerformance is also extra powerful—and a lot much more electrical. Lap instances are claimed to be comparable to the 992 GT3 Cup vehicle.

Porsche

Porsche is getting closer to placing a battery-electric powered sports car on sale. It is not quite there still, but just after exhibiting off the Mission R notion in 2021, the business is now difficult at do the job producing certain the electric powertrain technological know-how that the strategy was meant to showcase will stand up to the do the job anticipated of a Porsche sports auto. The company is carrying out this with a pair of 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance cars.

You commonly count on to find a flat-6 engine powering the cockpit of a Cayman GT4 (no matter whether it’s 1 of the highway-going cars or the motorsports-suitable Clubsport variant). In the ePerformance model, that is where the car’s battery pack lives.

It is an 82 kWh pack developed to be able to deliver sustained functionality for the period of a dash race—between 25 and 40 minutes. Porsche has also enhanced the voltage compared to its other BEV (the 800 V Taycan), as the 718 GT4 ePerformance (and the Mission R) will operate at 900 V. This allows the vehicle DC quick-demand from 5 to 80 percent in just 15 minutes.

How rapidly and strong the 718 GT4 ePerformance is is dependent on the method you have it set to. For qualifying, the battery can output a optimum of 985 hp (735 kW), despatched to a forever enthusiastic synchronous motor at just about every axle. In race manner, the intention is not to present a one lap of pace but sustained efficiency about at the very least half an hour, and the battery’s output is pegged back again to a however-hefty 603 hp (450 kW).

“The integration of oil cooling has drastically impacted the automobile strategy,” explained Björn Förster, GT4 ePerformance undertaking supervisor. “With experts in the fields of aerodynamics and thermodynamics as very well as large-voltage and bodywork professionals, the development staff established an architecture to faucet the complete likely of the battery cells for the first time, due to the fact there is no thermal derating. In this way, the energy output in racing mode stays continuous for half an hour,” he said.

There are a handful of further particulars about the ePerformance that vary from other Cayman GT4s. The automobile is 5.5 inches (140 mm) wider, and the entire body is built from pure fiber composites. Other elements make use of recycled carbon fiber, as Porsche appears to be for methods to decrease the emissions from its production procedures. Even the tires have a superior diploma of recycled products in them.

The pair of ePerformance test cars flank the Mission R concept.
Enlarge / The pair of ePerformance test automobiles flank the Mission R strategy.

Porsche

If you’re fortunate sufficient to be at the Goodwood Festival of Pace in England in June, you’ll get a prospect to see the 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance’s initial general public outing as it tries its hand at the hill climb. It truly is a larger sized, heavier car or truck than VW’s ID.R racer, but in qualifying method, the Cayman will also be substantially much more impressive, so there’s an outside likelihood that VW’s history may well not be harmless.

Right after that, Porsche will consider its pair of examination cars to different functions in Europe ahead of bringing them to the US in 2023. The notion is just not just to present off a great new toy but to show Porsche’s racing customers what the long run is starting up to glance like.

“The 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance blazes a path to Porsche consumer racing with electrically driven racing cars. As a very first action, we will unveil this strategy to our international associates,” mentioned Oliver Schwab, project manager of the 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance. “With motorists, groups, organizers, authorities, and other fascinated functions, we’re also gathering tips for Porsche racing formats in the long term.”