An Electic Porsche?

Do you think the future of the automobile is electric power?  It sure seems a lot of manufacturers are betting on that happening.  Mostly we have seen small cars that are light in weight and in-line, from a looks perspective, with other fuel efficient automobiles.  That type of car won’t suit everyone, so manufacturers will have to expand their offerings to provide a broad range of sizes and options.

I came across an ad for this car recently.  Not everyone’s cup of tea but still pretty interesting if you think electric cars will become a primary mode of transportation in the near future. It seems to offer a lot for its class at a reasonable price – well for this type of car.  It is an all electric Porsche 356 Speedster Replica.  This was the company's first production automobile. The company started making them in 1948 and continued production of this model until 1965.  The 356 was designed by Ferdinand "Ferry" Porsche, who was the son of Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, founder of the company). Its cousin was the Volkswagen (you can see the family resemblance). Nicknamed the bathtub if a convertible, the original was a rear engine sports car which utilized the Volkswagen’s four cylinder air cooled engine – and suspension.  The 356 was replaced by the famous 911 but you can still see the ancestry of the 356 in the present day Porsche models.

Anyway, this electric model is a replica of the original 356 made by Euromasters Classic Cars, a California based company (www.euromastersclassiccars.com/).  The electric motor produces 120hp and can go from 0-60 in 5.6 seconds (almost four seconds faster than an original) – with a cruising speed of 85mph and a top speed of 100mph; pretty impressive.  It has a cruising range of over 200 miles on a single charge, which will cost you approximately one dollar.  It uses a standard household outlet, or it can use an electric charging station.  That is great fuel economy – with zero emissions.  Green, sustainable, fun, with a touch of class, I give it a Watson thumbs up!

It was unveiled last year at the Los Angeles Auto Show (2010) and is selling for approximately $50,000.