Porsche Mission E Concept

The Porsche Mission E debuted at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show as a concept but has since been green-lit for a launch at the end of the decade.

Electric vehicles aren't new. In fact, I was surprised to find that in the early 1900s the electric vehicle out sold all other types of vehicles. The first electric car was developed in the late 1800s and the world's very first hybrid electric vehicle was made by none other than the founder of Porsche, Ferdinand Porsche. That was in 1899! It's nice to see the company going full circle and moving into the design and production of electric vehicles.

I read an article nearly 20 years ago in a Boy's Life magazine that talked about the possible features of the cars of the future. Side mirrors being replaced by cameras and displaying inside the vehicle has been one feature that I was sure would happen long before now. The Mission E uses virtual exterior mirrors that are reflected in the lower windshield corners. These display areas can also include safety information for the driver.

Continuing with the internal displays, the menu navigation is controlled by eye tracking. So by looking at an instrument and pressing a button on the steering wheel, the system detects which menu you wish to access. Everything works directly, quickly and intuitively. I have to admit that I got a little giddy at this piece of tech.

The battery is located along the bottom of the vehicle and extends the full length between the front and rear axles. They placed it here to achieve optimal balance and equal distribution of weight. The battery also has a long range of over 500 km (about 310 miles) and boasts continuous power unmatched by electric sports cars. Another battery highlight is the charging options; of course, you can still plug it in but you can also park over a base plate in your garage and an inductive charging starts automatically.