Lohner Porsche

Lohner Porsche: Electric automobile

Ferdinand Porsche was a pioneer in the development of fully electrical automobiles: he designed the Lohner Porsche in 1900. The idea? The integration of an electric motor in the wheels of the car was intended to make it possible to do without the transmission and differential, which hamper performance.

The performance figures impressed both laymen and experts: according to the technical description, both of the wheel hub drives generated 2.5 hp at 12 revolutions per minute, with an astonishing 83 percent efficiency. The vehicle's speed could be regulated in four steps between 5 and 37 km/h and the power supply could be reversed with a lever to allow the vehicle to go in reverse. Ferdinand Porsche also placed great emphasis on the power-to-weight ratio of his first design: Including the structure, the chassis weighed just 340 kg, though the 115 kg drive wheels and the 410 kg battery must be included in calculating the total weight.

The radical innovation of this vehicle concept was obvious to the jurors at the world exhibition, who awarded the Lohner Porsche 13 gold medals.