Electric Porsche Cayman to Take on Tesla

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

Our fearless leader has noted at least once that a RUF-fettled Porsche Boxster would always have a home in his heart. And though he’s never gone (quite) as far as calling global warming a crock of shit, we think that RUF’s latest eco-friendly offering might just be enough to make him stop worrying and love the environmental movement. Oh, did we mention that the latest Ruf Cayman offering is all-electric? That’s right, the infamous German tuning house is developing a lithium-ion powered mid-engined sportscar that has nothing to do with the Lotus Elise! With 204 hp and 480 lb-ft of zero-rpm torque, the RUF Cayman should hop from 0 – 60 in about four seconds, top out at 120 and have a range of 155-188 miles. Though carbon-neutral drag races with a Tesla might leave the RUF a little chastened (giving up 35kW of power to the Roadster as it does), RUF has an established clientele base and price-poit expectations that Tesla would kill for. Plus, with Detroit Electric, Dodge and Tesla all showing off EV variations on the Elise theme, the Cayman EV stands alone. As an everyday car, it’s also eminently more practical, useable and better looking too. Being a RUF, it will also cost several appendages and depreciate faster than the Zimbabwean dollar. Look for a concept unveiling sometime in October, with production and pricing to be announced.

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Chuckgoolsbee Chuckgoolsbee on Sep 25, 2008
    Vorsprung durch Technik is how they say it in Ingolstadt Areitu, but in this case it could be Tesla's Götterdämmerung should it be successful and taken up by the Volk in Stuttgart. --chuck
  • Mirko Reinhardt Mirko Reinhardt on Sep 26, 2008

    Another application of the AC Propulsion drivetrain? Is there a way to find out, other than "ein Anruf bei Ruf"?

  • Campisi Campisi on Sep 26, 2008

    Yay, another electric car that 1) will actually make it to market and 2) isn't a Zap or a ZENN or some other ridiculous golf-cart sort of thing.

  • Joeaverage Joeaverage on Sep 26, 2008

    I've been watching this guy for some time... http://www.metricmind.com/

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