Porsche using racing for electric future

The brand’s GT4 e-Performance prototype is a test bed for its next-gen 718 Cayman.

Dr Björn Förster, GT4 ePerformance project manager, with the car in Sydney

Porsche is living the adage ‘racing improves the breed’ – developing this track-only GT4 e-Performance for both a future one-make series and its future road-going sports cars.

The German brand has made no secret that the next-generation 718 Cayman and Boxster will go electric, showcasing the Mission R concept car and the GT4 e-Performance is the next step in that process. Think of the Mission R as the design preview and the GT4 as the technology showcase.

And what technology it is, with a dual-motor powertrain providing 800kW of all-wheel drive performance. According to Dr Björn Förster, GT4 ePerformance project manager, this means the Cayman-based GT4 e-Performance is as fast as the 911 GT3 R GTE-specification racer at maximum power. However, this would limit it to just 18 minutes of track running and Porsche has developed a reduced power setting that allows for 30 minutes of racing at Carrera Cup car pace.

The Porsche GT4 e-Performance previews the technology for the next-gen 718 Cayman

The prototype is fitted with three very large battery cells, which are spread around the car in order to make them fit. Förster revealed that the electric version of the 718 Cayman and Boxster will have all the batteries mounted behind the cabin, in a similar arrangement to the current mid-engine layout of the car.
Porsche is investing millions into research for carbon neutral fuel in a bid to retain the internal combustion engine in the 911, but has conceded that the 718 duo will need to go all-electric by the end of the decade to satisfy lawmakers.

While there’s no firm dates for the launch of the production car, a one-make racing series for the new Cayman is part of the plan and is aiming to start by 2026. The hope is that by using racing, which is more agile and fast-paced than traditional road car development, Porsche will advance its knowledge of EV technology at a rapid pace.

New EV chargers have been installed at Queensland Raceway

The just-launched Taycan GT demonstrates the brand’s belief that electric Porsches can still be incredibly fast and dynamic.

Förster acknowledged there’s still a lot of work to be done to get the EV technology suitable for private race teams to run such a car, but the goal is to achieve that within the next few years.

Porsche is already beginning to implement its future strategy, installing EV chargers at racetrack in Australia, including a new one at Queensland Raceway this month. The new charger will allow Taycan (and future 718 owners) to drive to the track, complete a track day and recharge before heading home.

The road-going version of the electric 718 models are expected to be launched by 2025, meaning the brand’s electric future is racing up quickly – on and off the track.