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The Porsche 911 hybrid differs from conventional hybrids like the Toyota Prius and Porsche's upcoming Cayenne SUV - because there is no battery pack. Photo Gallery
A hybrid with a real twist is about to hit the road.
The potent Porsche 911 is currently a track car only but the technology that gives it a boost comes straight from Formula One and has clear potential for go-faster road use.
The latest GT3 R Hybrid is fitted with the Kinetic Energy Recovery System developed by Porsche for Williams Grand Prix, although it was not used by the F1 team before KERS was outlawed at the end of the 2009 system.
Now Porsche has picked it up for its flagship endurance racer and, if it works well, it could easily go into the next generation of 911s. "At the moment, nobody knows what is going to happen," admits the head of Porsche Cars Australia, Michael Winkler.
"The intent, truly, is to gain some real experience with that system. That's both in terms of performance, but also reliability, and then" make a determination from that on what's applicable for the road cars. Porsche's KERS package is a compact, high-speed flywheel that can store and release a massive amount of energy. It spins at up to 40,000 revolutions and is recharged whenever the driver hits the brakes.
It differs from conventional hybrids - like the Toyota Prius and Porsche's upcoming Cayenne SUV - because there is no battery pack. The hybrid GT3 R can boost the car's 353 kiloWatts with an extra 120 from a pair of electric motors hooked to the front wheels. So, exiting corners the car becomes an all-wheel drive hybrid with a 30 per cent power boost.
The KERS system is charged the same way as most other hybrids including the Prius, storing braking energy in the flywheel as it spins. It also brings a fuel economy benefit as the 911 does not need as much petrol power for acceleration, and the fuel tank can also be smaller.
"This is a different sort of system. Essentially, the hybrid technology as it stands today is suitable for cars that have the space for the components and a large and heavy battery," says Winkler.
"A sports car is more about simplicity and the power-to-weight ratio. This is a first approach to see if it works for a sports car," says Winkler. He says there is currently only a single GT3 R and it is a full factory car, not for sale.
"There are a few GT3 Rs on order for Australia, but this car is not for sale. It will run in some small events and then the 24-hours at the Nurburgring later this year to test its reliability."
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