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Porsche will offer one of the world's first plug-in electric supercars in 2013. With two electric engines and a V8 based of their RS Spyder Le Mans prototype. Porsche has confirmed that the project is going according to plan and that the 918 Spyder will begin production in September of 2013, possibly after a showing at the Frankfurt motor show, with the first cars being delivered to owners before the year is out, although Australian buyers will miss out on the most extreme Porsche yet, as it will only be made in left-hand-drive.

The company has released pictures of prototype versions of the open-top petrol electric sports car that can sprint from 0-100km/h in less than three seconds, while sipping as little fuel as a Toyota Prius. Porsche says the 2013 Porsche Sportcars Prototype 918 Spyder will reach 200km/h in less than nine seconds before cracking 300km/h in less than 27 seconds. The complex hybrid drivetrain is primarily driven by a rear-mounted 4.6-litre V8 engine producing about 425kW of power. It’s teamed to a 90kW rear-mounted electric motor and a single 80kW front-mounted electric motor, giving it four-wheel drive. Porsche says the maximum total output is 575kW, while the torque output is rated at more than 750Nm. Porsche said that when it’s all said and done, the 918 Spyder should pump out 770-hp with a 0 to 62 mph time of 3.2 seconds with a top speed of more than 200 mph. Fuel-economy should come in around 3 liters/100km or 78.4 mpg US.

2013 Porsche Sport cars Prototype 918 Spyder “Race Hybrid” is the mode for the highest possible performance and especially sporty dri -ving style. The combustion engine is chiefly used under high load, and charges the battery when the driver is not utilising the maximum output. The electric motors provide additional support as necessary in the form of a boost when the driver requires even more power. The electric motors are used up to the maximum power output limit in order to provide the best possible performance for the race track. In this mode, the battery charge state is not kept constant, but instead fluctuates across the entire charge range. In contrast to Sport Hybrid mode, the electric motors run at their maximum power output limits for a short time, thus ensuring better boosting. This increased output is balanced out by the combustion engine charging the battery more powerfully.
The main source of propulsion is the 4.6-litre, eight cylinder engine delivering more than 570 hp of power, which was directly derived from the power unit in the successful RS Spyder and explains why it delivers engine speeds of up to 9,000 rpm. Like the RS Spyder’s racing engine, the 918 Spyder power unit features dry-sump lubrication with a separate oil tank and oil extraction. In order to save weight, the four extraction pumps are made of plastic. Further extensive lightweight design measures resulted in.

The 2013 Porsche Sportcars Prototype 918 Spyder’s multi-link chassis is inspired by racing car construction, comple -mented by additional systems such as the adaptive shock-absorber system PASM and rear-axle steering. Basically, this comprises an electro-mechanical adjustment system on each rear wheel. The adjustment is speed-sensitive and executes steering angles of a few degrees in each direction. The rear axle can therefore be steered in the same direction or the opposite direction to the front wheels. At low speeds, the system steers the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front wheels. This makes cornering even more direct, faster and more precise, and reduces the turning circle. At higher speeds, the system steers the rear wheels in the same direction as the front wheels. This minimises the “pushing” of the vehicle’s rear end when changing lanes quickly. The result is very secure and stable handling. The exhaust system is racing car inspired, with short muffler pipes that come out of the top of the car’s rear end, next to the engine. The seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission has been fitted upside-down to lower the 1700kg car’s centre of gravity. It also has rear-axle steering for better control through slow corners.
All that technology is expected to come at a price, though. Estimates suggest the 2013 Porsche Sportcars Prototype 918 Spyder could cost upwards of $750,000. As to be expected, the plug-in hybrid sports car will command a princely price tag, which Porsche has indicated will start at $845,000.