RACING an electrical automobile is rather like driving a road-ready EV, or some other combustion mannequin, for that matter – in case you go too laborious, too quickly, you’ll not final lengthy earlier than one thing goes incorrect.
As such, Porsche’s GT4 e-Efficiency electrical racing prototype sports activities automobile has a ‘modest’ 1088 horsepower, or 800kW, and the undertaking supervisor for that automobile, Björn Förster, stated that it could be too simple to uprate the facility output, however there’d be an excessive amount of compromise in doing so.
“We may do it, however it doesn’t make sense,” stated Mr Förster.
“We run it at greater than 1000 horsepower, and we are able to run it at a high pace now of 285km/h. That’s the utmost pace of a Cup Automotive.”
Mr Förster stated that upping the facility output would merely degrade the battery sooner, and advised that in future, he’d like to see an electrical racer based mostly on the ‘983’ new-generation 718 Boxster and Cayman fashions going toe-to-toe with 911 Cup racers.
“I might like to have these racing parallel, in the identical race – that might be nice enjoyable. Even when the lap instances are on the identical stage, the type of driving can be utterly completely different,” he stated.
“You must understand that it’s important to deal with the vitality administration, as a result of this automobile is a bit heavier than the Cup Automotive so it’s important to accommodate that, and also you additionally need to adapt your driving type.
“So out of corners you actually need to push it laborious, then go into carry and coast very early. Then early smooth braking, late laborious braking. That’s the best way you’ll be able to drive it probably the most effectively, and likewise quick.
“In case you run this automobile for a similar lap time however with the driving type of a combustion engine automobile, you’ll find yourself with 20 minutes run time, not 25 to half-hour. So even in case you run the identical lap instances, it’s an enormous affect based mostly on the driving type.”
Mr Förster additionally identified that, all over the world, race tracks usually tend to construct EV charging stations within the automobile park, not the pit lane, of the circuit, and that has led to obstructions for showcasing the prototype mannequin’s means at completely different places all over the world, joking that there’s only one location in Japan that has bought it proper to this point.
Nonetheless, he concedes that, with present battery expertise, there are limitations to how lengthy a automobile will be capable to race – possibly it’s a cheerful synergy within the attention-lapse society we dwell in, however as Mr Förster states, the prototype mannequin is simply actually able to about half-hour of full-speed racing.
That’s although, whereas each motors mix for an output 800kW of energy, they’ll additionally recuperate 800kW of energy underneath regenerative braking.
Mr Förster identified EV race vehicles can be simpler for much less skilled drivers to become familiar with, with the elimination of a transmission and equipment shifts, to not point out throttle and brake administration to coincide with that, making for a simpler to grasp.
He stated he admires Hyundai N for providing a distinct kind of expertise within the Ioniq 5 N – which has a ‘shift’ motion just like the model’s petrol dual-clutch fashions that’s really a pulse change through the electrical propulsion that makes it really feel like a shift occurs. And he didn’t rule out that type of factor being supplied in Porsche fashions sooner or later, too.
“You’re speaking to a motorsports man,” he prefaced the next feedback with. “It doesn’t make you quicker, however… think about a 983 GT4 – subsequently, it’s an emotional automobile, so this could possibly be an choice the place, possibly, this automobile comes out, and it’s simply obligatory for sporty electrical vehicles to have a shifting simulator.”
“Not due to getting the automobile sooner,” he asserted.
“No document on any racetrack can be completed with handbook shifting. It even reveals you the revs, that are pretend. But when I’m working in motorsport, I might keep away from that.”
The easier nature of an electrical powertrain additionally implies that, in response to Porsche’s calculations, EV racing automobile house owners are set to profit.
“I might say the common combustion engine race automobile with about 75 hours of racing prices about 70,000 to 100,000 euros to rebuild,” stated Mr Förster, who defined the sturdiness of the battery system and electrical motors employed within the GT4e-Efficiency is considerably extra sound than a combustion engine mannequin, in idea a minimum of.
“So, so long as you’ll be able to preserve it at 45 levels, there received’t be any harm,” he stated of the battery system, which is cooled by a Mobil 1 oil-cycling system.
He indicated that expertise might not be present in electrical manufacturing vehicles, however there could possibly be a chance in hardcore EV racers of the long run to have one thing comparable.
Porsche is about to introduce its new electrical sports activities automobile fashions – the 718 Boxster convertible and the 718 Cayman coupe – within the coming years.
Manufacturing variations are anticipated to borrow some learnings, and a few expertise, from the racing prototype, however Mr Förster confirmed that the model will supply the ‘normal’ or ‘road’ variations of the 983-generation fashions effectively earlier than any racing mannequin is obtainable to public prospects.
The GT4 e-Efficiency mannequin takes an current model of the 718 Cayman and frankensteins a Porsche Taycan sedan’s battery financial institution throughout three positions within the physique – underneath the bonnet, within the passenger foot effectively, and behind the seats, the place the manufacturing EV sports activities automobile pairing will seemingly have a particular platform with the battery primarily housed behind the seats for higher weight distribution.
