It wasn’t that long ago that electric racecars were the butt of quite a few jokes. And while the technology doesn’t quite measure up to internal combustion engine alternatives, Porsche seems to believe EVs have a bring future in motorsports. It recently did a splashy writeup about its GT4 e-Performance and the possibility of launching a new manufacturer’s race series.
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Not everyone is going to love the idea of a bunch of all-electric Porsche GT4 e-Performances whipping around different tracks in Europe or wherever else they might decide to hold competitions. But we also know how important motorsports has been in the development and refining of technologies for cars since the early years.
In that splashy press release, racer Klaus Bachler, who has plenty of experience behind the wheel of GT Porsche racecars, is a big fan of the electric car. Although he admits the immediate torque delivery combined with all-wheel drive means drivers have to adjust their style, and we imagine not by just a little.
Still, Bachler claims the GT4 e-Performance “is relatively easy to drive and control.” That means amateurs and newer races apparently can master the vehicle quickly. Is that a good thing? Or should racecars be inherently difficult to master, requiring drivers to develop top shelf skills? That debate is an old one but with the growing number of EV racers with their even more advanced electronics, it’s one that will flare up once more.
The biggest questions we have aren’t addressed in the press release, and that honestly doesn’t surprise us. First off, how far can one of these Porsche GT4 e-Performances go with the driver pushing it flat-out on a track? Will the length of races be shortened to prevent complete battery depletion?
That brings us to the next question: will there be racers stopping and charging up their cars in the pit? And if so, how boring would that part of the race be to watch? We guess if Porsche does start its own racing series using these solely or if other manufacturers step up to help create a mixed series we’ll get those and more answers.
Images via Porsche
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