According to a recent SEMA eNews report, there are 5 electric cars that claim to be faster than the venerable Porsche 911. What? That's blasphemous! Actually, in a strange but true coincidence, noted Porsche tuner, Ruf has countered their punches with an all new electric Porsche called eRuf.
From SEMA eNews
ELECTRIC CARS: FASTER THAN A 911?
TreeHugger.com,
a site not shy with its agenda, reports that bench racers are targeting
a performance icon with electric vehicles. The story, titled “5 Eco-Cars Faster than the Porsche 911,”
aims to send a shock wave through the perceptions of automotive
enthusiasts. The article compares the sports car to a polished group of
concepts, one-offs and dedicated electric supercars.
The Porsche goes 0–60 in 4.7 seconds. How does that compare to the electrics?
- Tzero by AC Propulsion: 3.6 seconds
- Tesla Motors Roadster: 2.78 seconds
- Ultimate Aero EV by Shelby SuperCars: 2.78 seconds
- Tango Electric Cars: 4 seconds
- Wrightspeed X1: 3.07 seconds
This level of acceleration is what automotive enthusiasts are
passionate about, never mind that there is dead silence instead of an
addictive V8 growl. As the automotive industry evolves to meet
emissions standards and the United States moves to curb its dependence
on foreign oil, models such as these make the case for an electric-car
performance market.
Consider what some of the OEMs are
working on: General Motors has announced production plans for the
Chevrolet Volt and sibling offshoots; Chrysler has announced three
electric vehicle candidates; Ford is testing plug-in hybrids; Toyota is
testing a plug-in Prius; and BMW is teasing Californians with 500
pure-electric MINIs.
Part of this surge is due to consumer demand, but some of the
urgency can be attributed to regulations insisting on zero- or
low-emissions vehicles.
For the consumer, the decision will
hinge on performance for related fossil fuel-powered cars and the time
it will take to recover the additional expense. Retail prices:
- Base Porsche 911 Carrera 4S: $102,900
- TZero: not for sale
- Tesla Roadster: $109,000
- Ultimate Aero: n/a
- Tango Electric: $85,000
- Wrightspeed X1: n/a
For our example above, we find that initial investments in high
performance can be costly, if impossible. One of the largest hurdles
has been availability. As suppliers invest in component factories and
vehicle builders begin to test legitimate concepts, the choices will
change.
The
price difference between the Porsche and the Tesla is $6,100. At $3.50
a gallon, that represents 1,742 gallons of gas. Since the Porsche is
rated at 19 mpg, that equates to 33,114 miles. It would take a year and
a half to two years to recover the additional cost in the current
market. In a few years, production costs may come down as suppliers
retool their assembly lines and government rebates begin to take
effect, and electric vehicles could play a vital role in the market for
high-performance vehicles.
This is a part of the automotive industry that bears watching for performance parts and accessory opportunities.
From AutoBlog.com
RUF's electric Porsche breaks cover
Rumors of
RUF's impending electric Porsche
were true, except that the actual vehicle is based on a Porsche 911,
not the Cayman as previously reported. Powered by a three-phase
electric motor that offers about 200 horsepower along with an
impressive 480 lb.-ft. of torque, the eRUF Model A can reportedly hit
60 miles per hour in under seven seconds and can reach a top speed of
160. Power comes from a lithium iron phosphate battery pack, which
produces 317-volts and 480-amps and is made up from 96 individual
cells. A full charge takes a rather long 10-hours, and regenerative
braking is included in the package allowing for a range of up to 180
miles. From the outside, you'd never really know that something was
different about this 997, except that it doesn't produce that
soul-stirring flat-six sound. This is still just a concept and its
specifications are subject to change. We can be sure, though, that this
isn't the last electrically-powered sportscar set to hit the market.