At the IAA Mobility 2021 in Munich, Porsche presented its take on the automotive future with the Mission R concept car. The low-slung, all-electric competition car features state-of-the-art technologies, sustainable materials, and the company’s passion for racing.

“In addition to our involvement in the Formula E World Championship, we are now taking the next big step forward in electric mobility,” said Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG. “The concept study is our vision of all-electric customer motorsports. The Mission R embodies everything that makes Porsche strong: performance, design, and sustainability.”

Porsche is aiming to achieve a carbon-neutral balance sheet overall by 2030.

“This means that a low carbon footprint, closed-loop recycling, and sustainability are increasingly becoming the prime focus,” said Michael Steiner, Member of the Executive Board for Research and Development at Porsche AG.

 

On a Mission R

The Mission R is an interesting element of the sustainability approach. It provides an indication of what the future of one-make series with all-electric cars could look like. The company brought in Porsche Brand Ambassador Patrick Dempsey (along with Porsche racer Timo Bernhard) to answer questions about the Mission R “mission.”

The new concept could carry on a tradition such as the Carrera Cup Deutschland, which Porsche started 31 years ago and has delivered more than 4400 racecars from Weissach. A total of 30 one-make cup series are held worldwide based on these high-performance racing cars. The latest version of the 911 GT3 Cup was launched for the 2021 motorsport season based on the 992-model generation.

At 4326 m (170.3 in) in length, the concept is slightly shorter than the current 718 Cayman series, but it is noticeably wider at 1990 mm (78.3 in) and with a height of 1190 mm (46.9 in) is significantly lower. It weighs around 1500 kg (3300 lb).

The all-wheel-drive concept in qualifying mode accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than 2.5 s and has a top speed of over 300 km/h (186 mph). On the racetrack, it achieves the same lap time performance as the current Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

The Mission R is pre-equipped for over-the-air software update technology. Porsche says that it is conceivable that, in the event of problems occurring during the race, its Motorsport experts from Weissach would be able to access data from the customer cars via a remote interface and then help with troubleshooting.

The car has two newly developed electric motors that deliver up to 800 kW in qualifying mode, with 320 kW powering the front axle and 480 kW delivered to the rear. Its battery capacity of 82 kW·h and innovative recuperation system with an output of up to 800 kW aimed at sprint racing.

Direct oil cooling of the battery cells enables Mission R to produce a constant power output of 500 kW in race mode and reduce battery power loss output due to thermal conditions. Advanced 900-V battery-electric drive technology and Porsche Turbo Charging at up to 340 kW mean that a 15-min break from racing is all that is needed to charge the battery from 5% to 80% state-of-charge.

 

Previewing next-generation motors

The Mission R is offering a preview of Porsche’s next-generation production electric motors.

In 2018, a team of engineers and technicians in Zuffenhausen and Weissach began to develop the new, more powerful, and efficient electric motors. The most important innovation of these PESMs (permanently excited synchronous machines) is direct oil cooling of the stator, which enables higher peak and continuous power output levels to be achieved—in addition to delivering a high level of efficiency.

As Porsche explains it, in conventional electrical machines the cooling fluid flows through a jacket outside the stator, but with its direct cooling the oil flows directly along the copper windings. This allows more heat to be dissipated directly at the source. In addition, the slots in the stator can be made smaller, which leads to greater efficiency in real driving cycles. An innovative stator seal is used to prevent the coolant from entering the rotor chamber.

As with the electric motors in Porsche’s production Taycan EV, the hairpin winding contributes to a high yield of power and torque while maintaining compact dimensions. The coils consist of rectangular wires that are bent and then inserted into the stator’s laminated core. Their shape is reminiscent of hairpins, hence the name. The open ends are welded together by lasers.

An optimization algorithm determined the optimum shape and position of the magnets in the rotor. The resulting geometry eliminates an old conflict of objectives; it combines excellent electromagnetic properties with high mechanical strength at very high speeds.

During production, the magnets are inserted into the rotor laminations and extrusion-coated with plastic. As a result, they do not move, despite the high centrifugal forces they see at high vehicle speeds, and the balancing quality of the rotor remains stable. In addition, the plastic helps to dissipate the heat generated in the magnets.

The power output from the two electric motors is transmitted to the front and rear wheels via straight-toothed input gearboxes and mechanical limited-slip differentials. The modular design of the drive system also helps to improve cost efficiency in customer motorsports, with the gearbox, electric motors, and pulse-controlled inverters on the front and rear axles being identical.

 

Electrified chassis

The Mission R rolls on 18-in magnesium Cup wheels with central locking. The wheels are flow-optimized, with smooth-surfaced carbon aero blades and five twin spokes milled to save weight.

Michelin developed new slicks for the concept with 30/68 (front) and 31/71 (rear) formats. In line with Mission R’s sustainability goals, the tires contain bio-based and renewable materials. They are engineered for high resistance to wear and protection against damage caused by deposits on the racetrack.

The collaboration with Michelin included networking within the vehicle. The tires can be fitted with sensors that communicate with the onboard electronics during a race in real-time to provide driver information relating to wear and suggest a time for the next pit stop.

The concept has independent suspension, with a front double-wishbone axle and rear McPherson struts. Ball joints on all control arms ensure the chassis is connected to the suspension with no play.

The brake-by-wire system’s control unit models the interaction between the hydraulic and electric brakes with brake blending software. Due to the high 800-kW recuperation potential, the conventional brakes are subjected to a significantly lower load and can be made smaller.

The car is engineered to start with 85% battery state-of-charge, so recuperation is possible in almost every driving situation. Depending on the racetrack, this means that more than 50% of the energy can be recovered and is available for use.

The steering is electrified, with an electric power steering torque sensor receives the driver’s intended directional change as a signal to the control unit that calculates optimum assistance. An integrated air jack system facilitates quick tire changes or repairs, with compressed air connections located in the C-pillars.

 

Sustainable body and high-tech interior

The design of the concept car’s body focused on CO2 reduction and sustainability. It is largely made of natural-fiber-reinforced plastic (NFRP), the basic material of which is from farmed flax fibers. NFRP is used for the front spoiler lip, diffuser, and side skirts, and for the interior door panels, rear bulkhead, and seat.

The material is the result of a collaboration among Porsche, the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), the Fraunhofer WKI, and Swiss-based Bcomp that began in 2016, the aim being to make biofiber composite material suitable for automotive use. The early 2019 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport is said to be the first series-produced racing car to feature biofiber composite body panels.

The Mission R body features a further development of PAA (Porsche Active Aerodynamics) with DRS (Drag Reduction System). It comprises three louvers in each of the two side air intakes on the nose section as well as an adjustable, two-section rear wing.

The safety structure made of carbon-fiber composite material combines high protection potential for the driver, with low weight and a distinctive look. Porsche engineers and designers have named the carbon roof structure, which combines the safety cage and roof skin, the “exoskeleton.”

The center section of the seat is partly produced by a 3D printer. The driver’s seat is actively ventilated and upholstered in breathable fabric made using a resource-saving 3D knitting process.

In the Mission R, the helmet can be placed on a specially designed holder, which is positioned where the passenger headrest would be in a standard vehicle. During a break from racing, the helmet is first disinfected and then dried.

 

Racing and gaming

Video and gaming figure heavily in the design of the interior, with more than the normal dose of high tech for drivers and fans.

A display between the controls on the steering wheel shows the driver relevant data during the race. The monitor above the steering column shows the images from the side-mirror cameras and central rear-view mirror camera. A touch display to the right of the seat can provide info such as the driver’s biometric data. Other interior cameras can provide video for live-stream transmissions.

Porsche is aiming to bring real and virtual racing closer together with the Mission R. The monocoque driver’s module in the same form doubles as an esports simulator.