Porsche has revealed an all-electric estate concept called the Mission E Cross Turismo at the Geneva motor show.
The surprise unveiling is based on the brand’s first EV model, which is due next year, but adds a larger boot to offer enhanced practicality and off-road capabilities. It is taller than the regular Mission E and wears more pronounced wheel arch surrounds.
Porsche CEO Oliver Blume described the model as a car to "fuse Mission E design with Panamera Sport Turismo off-road touches". He said it is "a serious prospect for production very soon".
Design boss Michael Mauer said its "design mixes everyday usability with off road adventure".
The Mission E Cross Turismo can do 0-100kph in 3.5sec, 200kph in under 12 seconds and has a top speed of 250kph. It is claimed to be capable of a 100-kilometre range from a four minute charge, 400-kilometre range from a 15-minute charge and a 500-kilometre range on a full charge.
While details have yet to be revealed, the powertrain is be shared with Porsche's first Mission E concept, which used two electric motors – one on each axle – to produce a combined 600hp and 900Nm, drawing their power from lithium ion batteries mounted in the floor.
The all-wheel drive concept’s front wheels are driven mainly to aid in acceleration and handling while remaining rear-biased. Torque vectoring controls individual wheels.
Aside from the development of its Mission E models, Porsche's investment in electrification will the next 911, the 992-generation that's due in 2019, receive a hybrid option for the first time.
Company executives have also suggested to our sister concern, Autocar UK, that all-electric versions of the 911 and its smaller 718 siblings are likely in the future, but not until solid-state battery technology reaches a point that would enable weight to be remain low.
This increasing role of electrification in Porsche's range mirrors changes in demand from its customers, which have begun to demand hybrid models in larger numbers. The Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, for example, accounted for 50 percent of global Panamera demand last year.
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