E-mobility at Porsche: the sustainable Mission R racing car
In the Mission R customer racecar concept study, sustainability tops the bill with electrified high performance
With the Taycan and its involvement in Formula E, Porsche has already declared its commitment to an electrified future. Now, with the Mission R concept study, it reveals its vision for customer racing
For electrified motorsport, the race has hardly begunDelivering an electrifying experience is part and parcel of motorsport. But today’s drive towards electrification represents a whole new frontier for those competing – one that Porsche is committed to. With the Mission R, the vision of an electric future of customer motorsport has arrived.Electric mobility has captured the imagination of the world. But while it’s all over the news, our journey to an electrified future has only just begun. Globally, it is estimated that there are around ten million electric cars on our roads today. The number is growing quickly but it represents just a mere fraction of all cars in circulation. We still have a long way to go until we catch up with traditionally powered vehicles. The same goes for motorsport too. Formula E has captured the imagination in its short life, but new and exciting formats that will also feature Porsche electric racecars are sure to emerge in the years ahead. We were never going to just wait around for that to happen.Our involvement with Formula E demonstrates our belief in motorsport’s electrified future. And it’s embodied in our vision of the future of customer motorsports – a new all-electric concept study customer racecar we call the Mission R. One that proves that putting sustainability at the forefront of the process can be done without compromising on performance. And that will help revolutionise how we will interact with the sport in the years ahead.Small, sustainable wonderThe Mission R proves that an electric and sustainable approach to motorsport can perform at the highest levels of competition. The racecar concept is designed to conquer small, twisty tracks in racing sprints that last about 30 minutes. It’s a Porsche electric racecar designed to perform, carefully considered to be small in size, but big on driving dynamics. So it made sense that the same care was taken when it comes to the materials with which it is made. For example, with this concept racecar Porsche has reduced its use of carbon fibre, that traditional weight-saving device in motorsport, in favour of natural fibres throughout the interior and exterior of the vehicle. Carbon fibre has many merits, but recyclability is not one.And when it comes to its high-performance battery cells, Porsche is aiming to reduce the carbon footprint across both production and supply chains. Cellforce, a joint venture with battery pioneers Customcells, will drive research, development, and production of batteries in the future. Beyond the environmental benefit, this puts Porsche in the position to put its batteries to the ultimate test – their use in motorsport. And just as learnings from the Le Mans-winning 919 Hybrid and Formula E made their way into the Taycan, you can expect what we learn from the Mission R to one day find its way to public roads as a compact two-seater sports car.In the future, cars based on the Porsche electric racecar, the Mission R, will run on Michelin tyres made from sustainable materials – like recycled tyres, natural rubber and even lemon rind. Michelin is developing its own ‘eco-design processes’ that reduce environmental impact at every stage, from raw material sourcing to road use, and eventual recycling. Their aim is to be 100% sustainable by 2050.The Porsche e-mobility racecar where less is considerably moreOf course, as it is electric, exhaust emissions aren’t a factor with the Mission R. Its pair of Porsche Magnetic Engines provide considerable amounts of torque, meaning that it has the power to accelerate with the very best of them. When it’s time for you to put the hammer firmly down on the track, you’ll find yourself pushed right back into your seat. And in corners? The Mission R boasts a recuperation potential of 800kW to efficiently squeeze the most out of every ride.The Mission R follows the age-old maxim of less weight equals more power. Not as a compromise, but as a design decision. Adopting a one-speed transmission with all-wheel drive translates to weight savings – but they are also a better fit for the type of race the Mission R will be competing in. The same maxim goes for the battery, which is designed to extract maximum energy while using fewer resources and creating a smaller footprint than a larger battery. And there’s another significant and highly visceral benefit too. The battery’s position – behind the driver – means that this Porsche electric racecar has a sporty, mid-engine feel. It’s something it shares with many of the greatest cars to have graced the racetrack.Electrification has opened a new frontier in customer motorsport. One that we’re excited to bring to life with the Mission R. Its future is electric, it’s sustainable and it’s moving fast. The Mission R is true to its motto: fast forward future.
