Since the first sports car bearing the Porsche name, the Type 356 from 1948, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG has been the world's leading sports car manufacturer.
But its history goes back much further: in 1898, Ferdinand Porsche presented the world's first Porsche design with the "Egger-Lohner-Elektromobil Modell C.2 Phaeton" (known as the "P1" for short). After 116 years, the original and unrestored vehicle has been found again and will enrich the collection of the Porsche Museum as a technical and historical world sensation. At least that's what the Porsche press release says.
Realignment of the Porsche Museum
Five years after its opening in January 2009, the Porsche Museum will realign its permanent exhibition with this design. In addition to the restructured layout of the product and motorsport history sections, the "P1" now introduces the first part of the exhibition, the so-called prologue, as the central exhibit.
As an innovative vehicle concept, the "P1" will in future form a bridge from the past to present-day developments such as the Porsche 918 Spyder. As a technology carrier, the 918 Spyder is fully in keeping with the tradition established 116 years ago with the "P1".
The Porsche number 1 with electric drive and interchangeable bodywork
The "P1" designed and built by Ferdinand Porsche was one of the first registered vehicles in Austria to roll onto the streets of Vienna on June 26, 1898. Ferdinand Porsche stamped the abbreviation "P1" (for Porsche Number 1) into all the important components, giving the electric car its unofficial name. The large number of ideas realized in this vehicle is still remarkable today. The output of the very compact electric drive, which weighed only 130 kg, was 3 hp.
For a short time, even up to 5 hp was possible due to overloading, allowing the P1 to reach speeds of up to 35 kilometers per hour. The driving speed could be selected in 12 stages using a controller. Even then, the total range of the vehicle was 80 kilometers. Another innovation was the Lohner interchangeable bodywork, which meant that the car could be used in both summer and winter.
Success in Berlin
The first test for the "P1" came in September 1899 at the International Motor Car Exhibition in the German capital Berlin. The competition for drive systems was already in full swing at this time. A "prize race for electric vehicles" over 40 km was announced for September 28 to test the performance of the vehicles.
The route placed high demands on the participants, including uphill gradients. Ferdinand Porsche and his "P1" finished the race with three passengers on board in first place with an 18-minute lead. More than half of the participants did not reach the finish line due to technical problems. Ferdinand Porsche also won the economic efficiency ranking, as his "P1" had the lowest energy consumption in city traffic.
The Porsche Museum is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm. Further information can be found on the museum's website.
Source: Porsche press release
