With our recently closed Series B, we could welcome Porsche Ventures among our investors. We are proud to already have presented several projects with Porsche, and today we will revisit a ground-breaking race car concept.
Right in time for the IAA Mobility 2021, Porsche unveiled its newest concept study – the Mission R. The all-electric concept car combines state-of-the-art technologies and sustainable materials such as Bcomp’s natural fibre solutions with a passion for racing.
Looking into the Future of Motorsports
Porsche is offering us a look into their vision of the automotive future. With its newly developed electric motors delivering a mind-boggling 1073 hp and a driver focused interior that is taking cues from esports and virtual racing, this car is unlike anything we have seen before. But Porsche is not only pushing the envelope on driver-centred design and electric transmission technology but also on sustainability. Large parts of the car’s interior and exterior are made from natural fibre reinforced composites rather than the more conventional carbon fibre composites.
A Long Collaboration
Porsche and Bcomp can look back on a very successful collaboration that has been going on for several years now and has led to boundary pushing developments from the first natural fibre motorsport body parts in series production to the full flax fibre bodywork and interior on the current 718 Cayman GT4 CS MR. Now, the Mission R makes extensive use of Bcomp’s advanced ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ technologies for body- and interior parts that are both lightweight and sustainable. On the outside, parts such as the front spoiler lip, the diffuser and the side skirts are all made with natural fibres while the beauty of ampliTex™ is on full display on interior parts like the door panels, the rear bulkhead, and the seat.
Sustainability and Safety
Choosing ampliTex™ and powerRibs™ flax fibre solutions over carbon fibre allows Porsche to reduce cradle-to-gate CO2 emissions of these components by up to 85%. Simultaneously it also leads to increased safety since natural fibre parts do not splinter or create any other type of sharp debris when they eventually do break under an impact – contrary to carbon fibre parts whose sharp debris and splinters pose a significant risk for punctures and directly to marshals, drivers, and pit crews.
