RUF eRuf Greenster Electric Porsche Zaps Geneva

You're probably asking what RUF is thinking, developing an electric sports car, but remember way back when you asked the same thing about that small startup in Silicon Valley. RUF might be onto something.

RUF eRuf Greenster: Positively Shocking RUF

RUF has partnered with German-based Tier One supplier, Siemens, to create the world's first electrically driven 997 Porsche 911 aptly named the RUF eRuf 'Greenster.' They've managed to create a complete electric replacement to the standard 911's 3.8 liter boxer-6 engine and it's packed with butt-loads of torque, 700 lb-ft of it to be exact. The 362 horsepower doesn't hurt either, but that's not what you'll feel when you mash your foot on the throttle.

The massive torque numbers are great, but what really sets this electric RUF apart from the crowd is the Siemens eDrive 'double-motor' concept that can charge on a 400-volt power source and using the same power outlet, the system can feed energy back into the system, effectively creating an overpriced, badass-looking generator.

RUF really knows how to get the enthusiasts on board and this time they've started with a 997-based cabriolet and added a rollover bar and fabric/plastic rear removable window section. They then painted the eRUF 'Greenster' to look like a classic Porsche 912 Targa which gives it epic win status among the Jalop-elite. RUF says that they'll build a small run of the eRUF electric sports car and you can expect to see them on the street sometime in 2010.

RUF Press Release:

The Evolution of the eRUF in Collaboration with our Technology Partner
Siemens Corporate Technology

The research organization of Siemens (Corporate Technology) is working intensively
on the topic of electro mobility, which could become part of its environment portfolio,
with 19 billion Euros already contributing a mere 25% of total revenue. The demands
made on the electric vehicle and the design of the power network infrastructure play
a decisive role. Topics being investigated include, among others, energy generation
and distribution, traffic and energy management, smart metering, power electronics,
software and sensor technology and of course electric drive train systems, and the
recovery and storage of energy. Within the scope of this research, Siemens
Corporate Technology has developed an integrated system consisting of a
motor/generator, power electronics and an interface with a battery connection for
electrically powered cars.

The fundamental ideas that led RUF Automobile GmbH to develop an electrically
driven vehicle came from Alois Ruf. The head of the automobile manufacturer from
the Bavarian town of Pfaffenhausen had a vision of a simple energy transfer concept:
his hydroelectric power plants, which feed 35 million kW hours of electricity per
annum into the Germany electrical network, could also propel the eRUF.
The symbiosis of two leading companies – Siemens as a leader in the electric
industry and RUF in the automobile industry - will leverage the best possible
synergies for the future of electro mobility.

Siemens Corporate Technology has developed an adapted power train for the eRuf
"Greenster". Thus, a preliminary version of the concept for the innovative eDrive from
Siemens will already be on display in Geneva. While the vehicle to be presented in
Geneva is still equipped with a central motor with a power output of 270 kW and 950
Nm [Wort gelöscht] torque, the following version will be produced as a small series
with Ruf as a double-motor concept with the innovative integral eDrive. As such, the
eRUF will be the world's first electric vehicle fitted with a bi-directional network
connection, which – without the otherwise necessary additional recharging
electronics – is capable to be recharged in less than an hour at a 400-volt power
outlet – and can use the same power outlet to feed energy back into the power
network if required. The small series planned on the basis of this concept by RUF
Automobile is expected to hit the streets in 2010.

[via RUF]

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