Sunday, May 08, 2011

The first 4 wheel drive... was a Porsche. It was also the first hybrid. It was over 110 years ago as well

Jacob Lohner & Co in Vienna, Austria produced electric cars from 1898 to 1906.
Ferdinand Porsche, one of Lohner´s employees developed a drive system based on fitting an electric motor to each front wheel without transmissions (hub mounted).
Vehicles of this type were known as Lohner-Porsches

Lohner produced a number of hybrid petrol- electric cars. That is, with a gasoline US engine driving a generator to produce the electricity to drive the electric motors.

While the Lohner-Porsche technology was reliable, it was not competitive with conventional petrol-engined cars. Production costs where higher.
Production of Hybrid cars seized in 1906 although Lohner produced Lohner-Stoll trolley buses for several years on.


Above is a recreation, and is named "Semper Vivus" and is currently on display at the Porshe museum in Stuttgart http://www.porsche.com/usa/aboutporsche/pressreleases/pcna/?lang=none&pool=international-de&id=2011-04-26 between May 10 2011 and June 13 2011

Here below is a picture of a racing version of the front wheel driven, petrol-electric Lohner "Porsche". This vehicle was entered in the 1900 "Semmering" race and is driven by Dr. Porsche himself.

read more about it http://www.marque1.com/marque1/2011/03/yes-its-a-porsche-the-worlds-first-hybrid-car.html


Above image is Mr. Porsche at the wheel http://asaucerfulofwheels.tumblr.com/image/58325709217
Ferdinand Porsche/Lohner-Porsche Mixte/1903

6 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    1. Yes, it is, and I don't publish comments with links to companies. So if you want to comment in the future, don't bother including a link. I won't publish it, it won't be on my website, and neither will your comment. Sorta renders commenting, just to get links, as a ridiculous notion, huh?

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  2. Has someone created a replica of the Lohner Porsche electric car like the little brown carriage looking machine?

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    Replies
    1. I don't know, you might find out on the internet

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  3. You have very interesting pictures. I love the history of the car. Are there any more facts on the 4 wheel drive in Porsche history in this time frame?

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