Porsche's P1 and 918 Bridge Past and Present

By Bill McLauchlan

For most of us who can remember that far back the first Porsche branded design was the chunky 356 that emerged from its rudimentary production facility in Gmund, Austria, in 1948. In a run of succeeding versions the 356 put Porsche firmly on the map in Canada and the U.S. in the Fifties and early Sixties.

But, in fact, the very first vehicle designed by Ferdinand Porsche dates back to 1898 with the electrically powered “Egger-Lohner C.2 Phaeton" model, known as the “P1” for short. Now we learn, after 115 years, the original and unrestored P1 has been recovered from a warehouse and untouched since 1902.

To mark the occasion, this phantom from Porsche’s past has been put on permanent display at the company’s museum in Stuttgart, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary.
Designed and built by the 22-year old Porsche, the P1 took to the streets of Vienna, Austria on June 26, 1898. During the build process, he engraved the code P1 (standing for Porsche, number one) onto all of the vehicle’s key components, thus giving the electric vehicle its unofficial name. It was the start of a legendary journey that has taken Porsche all the way to today’s latest 918 Spyder – a sensationally fast, lightweight, hybrid electric challenger to Ferrari and McLaren for the “green” supercar crown.

With that in mind, it’s worth taking a look at how the P1 and 918 Spyder are similar in some ways yet so strikingly different in others.

For instance, the P1’s highly compact rear mounted electric drive produces three horsepower and for short periods up to five hp could be achieved in overdrive mode, allowing the P1 to reach speeds up to 34 km/h (21 mph). Its modern 918 relative, fed by 312 lithium-ion batteries feeding juice to a pair of electric motors (one for the rear wheels, another powering the front set) can do 150 km/h (94 mph) in electric mode alone. Alone, you ask? Yup, there’s also a 600+ hp 4.6-litre V8 assisting the hybrid mix. Combined the three different propulsion sources contribute 875 hp and help the Spyder attain a 340 km/h (211 mph) top speed.

The P1’s speed is regulated by a 12-speed control unit and its overall range could cover up to 79 km (49 miles). The 918, courtesy of a 7-speed transmission, has a zero-emission range of up to 30 km (18 miles) on its electric motors alone and can do up to 150 km/h (95 mph) in electric mode.

One innovation where the P1 differs, however, is in the Lohner alternating vehicle body, which was mounted on a wooden “chassis” and allowed it to be a coupe style or an open Phaeton design. The modern 918 Spyder employs a state-of-the-art carbon fibre chassis and when you stow the removable roof panels you pretty much sacrifice any luggage space. We could go on, comparing packaging, instrumentation, brakes, etc., but I think you get the picture: 115 years makes a hell of a difference in some ways and none at all in others.

But back then, and still today, Porsche came out ahead in competitive terms. An all-electric race over 38 km (24 miles) was held in Berlin in 1899. With three passengers aboard, Porsche steered his machine across the finish line 18 minutes ahead of the next finisher. He also came out on top in the efficiency category, as the P1 recorded the least amount of energy consumed.

Five years on from the museum’s 2009 opening, the P1 will form the centerpiece in a display that introduces visitors to the first part of the newly structured product and motorsport history exhibition, bridging the gap between the past and present-day developments.