Can't Wait For That Electric Porsche Boxster? Convert One Yourself

Remember the Porsche Boxster E?

The German sports car maker previewed the electric concept back in 2011, giving car enthusiasts a glimpse into what an official Stuttgart electric vehicle might be like.

The Boxster E has since faded from memory, thoughPorsche's 918 Spyder supercar will use plug-in hybrid technology--so not all the lessons have been lost. But what if you want your own electric Boxster right now?

Well, you could buy this one we found on eBay.

With a day and a half to go, one seller in South Carolina is asking $28,000 for their lithium-ion powered 2000 Boxster S.

Converted by Electric Vehicle Concepts, the modified S features a 9-inch electric motor hooked up to the standard car's six-speed manual transmission. The seller says that you'll mostly get around in third or fourth gear, though a change to fifth or sixth is advised for highway speeds above 60 mph. A top speed of "over 125 mph" is apparently attainable, as is a range of over 50 miles at 55 mph, courtesy of batteries mounted in both the front and back of the car.

Other than that, it's all standard Boxster S, just as it was when the 40,000-mile flat-six engine was removed.

Unless bidding rises soon it's looking unlikely to meet reserve--not helped by the rather high purchase price, double that of many standard Boxsters of similar age on eBay.

But if you want an electric Boxster, what else are you gonna do? You won't be getting one directly from Porsche...

Source: Green Car Reports

Porsche Releases Details on All-Electric Boxster E RWD and AWD Prototypes

Back in February, Porsche announced the development of three pure-electric prototypes based on the Boxster roadster, but aside from a single photo and the fact that the electric motors could produce up to 180kW/241HP, the Stuttgart-based automaker did not release any other details on the cars.

After the demonstration of the Boxster E at last week’s Michelin Challenge Bibendum in Berlin, the company decided to share more information on the test cars that are being used as part of the government-funded “Model Region Electro-Mobility Stuttgart” large-scale trial to study the everyday practicality of all-electric vehicles. Of the three Boxster E prototypes, two are rear-wheel drive and one is all-wheel drive.

Propulsion for the four-wheel drive model is provided by two independent electric motors that act on the front and rear axles, producing a combined output of 180 kW / 241HP and a maximum total torque of 540 Nm / 398 lb-ft at approximately 12,000 rpm.

The rear drive unit includes the motor and transmission, together with the power electronics and is located where the manual gearbox and exhaust system are accommodated in the conventional Boxster, while the front electric motor takes up the space freed up by the gasoline model’s 64-liter fuel tank. An electric unit synchronizes the two electric motors and controls the drive torque distribution to the front and rear axle.

Porsche says the AWD Boxster E can complete the 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint in 5.5 seconds and reach a limited top speed of 200 km/h (124 mph)

The two rear-wheel drive models of Porsche’s prototype simply discard the electric motor located on the front axle and make do with the rear unit that delivers 90 kW / 121HP and 270 Nm / 199 lb-ft of torque. The RWD Boxster E can dash from a standing start to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 9.8 seconds, and has a top speed of 150 km/h (93 mph).

All Boxster E prototypes are equipped with a 29 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate based battery, which takes up the space of the combustion engine and offers a driving range of around 107 kilometers / 107 miles. The battery weighs in at 341kg / 752 pounds with the Boxster E tipping the scales at 1,600 kg / 3,527 pounds. The battery can be fully recharged through a conventional socket in approximately 9 hours; however, the charging time can be reduced with a rapid charging function.

According to Porsche, despite the electronic components, there’s enough space left for a luggage in the front storage compartment while the rear luggage area of the Boxster E remains unchanged.

In addition, both the rear- and four-wheel drive Boxster Es are equipped with an Active Sound Design system to provide drivers with acoustic feedback as well as to alert pedestrians and other road users of the car.

Source: Carscoop