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Porsche with a Plug
The 918 Spyder will be the world's fastest plug-in hybrid.
For years, as Toyota and Honda toiled away at hybrid-electric vehicles, German manufacturers largely ignored electric-drive technology. But times have changed, and last week, Porsche committed to making a production version of what will likely be the world's fastest plug-in hybrid: a rip-roaring two-seat supercar with a top speed of 198 miles per hour and a zero-to-62-mph acceleration of 3.2 seconds.
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The 918 Spyder is expected to cost around $600,000--several times as much as Tesla Motors's $109,000 2010 Roadster. But Porsche is also experimenting with all-electric versions of its entry-level Boxster as well. Industry analyst Rebecca Lindland of IHS Automotive says that high-performance hybrids from Porsche, as well as those from Audi and Mercedes-Benz, could pose a challenge to startup electric-vehicle makers.
"This puts tremendous pressure on Tesla and Fisker," Lindland says. "They're well-established carmakers with a lot of resources who are suddenly coming in to play in Tesla's very elite sandbox."
>
The 918 Spyder will be the world's fastest plug-in hybrid.
For years, as Toyota and Honda toiled away at hybrid-electric vehicles, German manufacturers largely ignored electric-drive technology. But times have changed, and last week, Porsche committed to making a production version of what will likely be the world's fastest plug-in hybrid: a rip-roaring two-seat supercar with a top speed of 198 miles per hour and a zero-to-62-mph acceleration of 3.2 seconds.
>
The 918 Spyder is expected to cost around $600,000--several times as much as Tesla Motors's $109,000 2010 Roadster. But Porsche is also experimenting with all-electric versions of its entry-level Boxster as well. Industry analyst Rebecca Lindland of IHS Automotive says that high-performance hybrids from Porsche, as well as those from Audi and Mercedes-Benz, could pose a challenge to startup electric-vehicle makers.
"This puts tremendous pressure on Tesla and Fisker," Lindland says. "They're well-established carmakers with a lot of resources who are suddenly coming in to play in Tesla's very elite sandbox."
>
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