The use of racing car technology in road legal cars is nothing new, but many manufacturers are choosing this way to increase the performance of their new electric models. One of them is Nissan and the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Group, which, using the experience from their Formula E teams, are trying to keep up with the growing competition in the electric vehicle segment.
Formula E is ideal for the development of electric mobility, and it should be noted that Formula E cars start each race with only 60% battery capacity, and the rest must be generated by braking. This forces manufacturers to develop more efficient systems and better software to improve performance and autonomy.
The JaguarLand Rover (JLR) Group is investing £15 billion in the production of electric vehicles, and will use silicon carbide inverter technology. This solution was primarily developed for their Formula E cars, but will also be used to improve efficiency in future premium electric models. JLR has already used the knowledge gained from managing battery temperatures to improve the range of the Jaguar I-Pace by 20 kilometers.
Nissan also plans to produce 19 all-electric models over the next two years, and Nissan Formula E team boss Tommaso Volpe said their race car’s software was originally based on that of the Nissan Leaf.
After revealing interior photos and sketches late last year, the day has come and Porsche has unveiled the new generation Porsche Macan. This electric crossover will be offered in two versions, Macan 4 and Macan Turbo.
The car is 4.78 meters long, 1.93 meters wide and 1.62 meters high, with a wheelbase of 2.89 meters. It is built on the PPE (Premium Platform Electric) platform, which Porsche developed in cooperation with Audi, and the same platform will be used for the upcoming electric Audi A6 and Q6. It is equipped with an 800-volt architecture and a 100 kWh lithium-nickel-manganese battery that enables a range of 613 km (380 miles) of range in WLTP (591 km in the Macan Turbo). The battery can be charged from 10 to 80 percent within approximately 21 minutes at a suitable fast-charging station. Depending on the amount of energy available in a battery, the electric Macan can regenerate up to 240 kW of energy when braking.
Speaking of design, the coupe shape and size have been retained. The elegant sporty design brings new four-point daytime running lights built into the wings, the main headlight module with optional matrix LED technology is positioned slightly lower in the front end, and a lower hood line. Thanks to the use of active aerodynamics elements such as the rear spoiler that can be activated, the wings on the front mask and the chassis panel, the air resistance coefficient is 0.25.
Inside, the new Macan offers more space and greater comfort for passengers who now have more legroom, as well as a larger luggage compartment (136 liters cargo mode + luggage compartment under the bonnet). By folding the rear seats, the luggage space increases by up to 1,348 liters. There is an integrated black panel, a newly designed central console, a digital user interface, a light strip integrated into the trim strip of the cockpit and doors, and some analogue control elements have been retained. There is also a 12.6-inch curved-design instrument cluster and the 10.9-inch central display. Optionally, it is possible to get a screen for the passenger, as well as an AR head-up display.
When it comes to the powertrain, the Macan 4 is powered by a dual motors with 408 hp (300 kW) and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque, the Macan Turbo has 630 hp (470 kW) and 833 lb-ft ( 1,130 Nm) of torque. However, all these figures are implied with overboost, which means that this power is available for a limited time even when using Launch Control. The Macan 4 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.2 seconds with a top speed of 220 km/h (137 mph), while the Macan Turbo reaches 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.3 seconds with a top speed of 260 km/h (161 mph).
Speaking of price, the Macan 4 costs €83,993 in Germany, while the Macan Turbo costs €114,576.
After long testing and covering more than 3.5 million kilometers, the new Porsche Taycan will soon arrive on the market. Although it is a new generation, Porsche says that it can also be seen as a new model.
The car passed different types of tests from the big minus and the ice of the north to the scorching deserts. The best engineers of the company worked on the project, pushing the test specimens to the limits of endurance, so Porsche left nothing to chance. The same engineers were in charge of the electrically powered Rolls-Royce Specter, which covered over 2 million kilometers during testing under similar conditions.
“The intensity and comprehensiveness of the relentless testing that the test prototypes of the redesigned Taycan had to go through was no different from the work we do when developing a next-generation model, and the result will be a Taycan that is improved in every segment,” said Kevin Giek, Vice President Model Line. Taycan.
In addition to the Taycan, on January 25, Porsche will present the fully electric Macan, which will be powered by two electric motors with a total power of more than 603 hp (450 kW) and 737 lb-ft (1,000 Nm) of torque. It will be equipped with a 100 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, and will have AWD. Thanks to the fast charger, the battery will be charged to 80 percent in just 22 minutes. When it comes to power distribution, it is known that 48 percent of the power will go to the front and 52 percent to the rear axle. Porsche will also offer a less powerful version with a single electric motor located in the rear and will have RWD.
