Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board, Porsche: “Change is the essence of Porsche’s success”
Blume began his plenary lecture in Berlin with a quote from Charles Darwin: “It is not the strongest or most intelligent species that survives – but the one most responsive to change”. The latest example of Porsche’s readiness to confront change – the Taycan – reprises the typical Porsche design language, yet breaks new ground in terms of its drive, HMI and electronics architecture.
Instead of multiple distributed control units, the new Taycan has three electronic levels: the sensors and actuators; the overlying computer or software level that uses and controls them; and a backend level made up of consumer devices (e.g., smartphones), a central back end, and communication with the infrastructure. Similarly, most secondary functions are now operated via touchscreen or voice control. For Porsche, the future of drives lies in petrol (not diesel) ICEs, plug-in hybrids, and BEVs like the new Taycan.
Blume said transportation currently accounted for 14% of global CO2 emissions. Accordingly, CO2 -neutral fuels were the most effective levers for ICEs, where fuel supply and driving account for 80% of emissions. Based on renewable energies in a pure well-to-wheel balance, Blume said BEV fared best with 184 Wh/km. This compared with 434 Wh/km for PHEV, 494 Wh/km for FCEV and 1109 Wh/km for an ICE with e-fuels.
Blume closed with some stats on the Taycan drive. The car uses two PSMs (one on the front axle, one on the rear) with a total output of 560 kW. The 800V battery has a gross capacity of 93.4 kWh and sits in the underbody, with a ‘foot garage’ for rear passengers. The 800V technology is used here for the first time. It enables thinner cables and charging rates of up to 270 kW, meaning drivers can ‘refuel’ for 100 km in four minutes. By the end of 2020, Porsche plans to offer 400 suitable charging points in Europe.
Dr Oliver Blume
Chairman of the Executive Board Porsche AG
Dr Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Germany
18th International Congress and Expo | Automotive Drivetrains – Intelligent – Electrified | 9 – 12 December 2019, Berlin
