Porsche perfecciona el concepto de sistema de propulsión «todo en uno»

Porsche filed a patent with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) in December 2024 for a powertrain concept designed to provide significantly greater flexibility in hybrid vehicles. The patent, published this month under the application number 10 2024 135 567.0, outlines a system that combines three operating modes within a single powertrain and offers a detailed insight into the concept.

The core of the patent is a powertrain capable of adapting to four distinct operating scenarios:

• Fully electric mode: The internal combustion engine is mechanically decoupled, and the vehicle operates purely as a battery-electric vehicle.
• Hybrid mode: The internal combustion engine directly drives the wheels and is supported by the electric motor – a classic performance hybrid setup.
• Range-extender mode: The combustion engine generates electrical energy via a generator to power the drivetrain and charge the battery.
• Combustion mode: The vehicle operates solely as a combustion engine, with the electric drivetrain remaining unused.

The range-extender mode is particularly notable from a technical perspective, as it uses only some of the combustion engine’s cylinders. According to the patent, the active cylinders feature specific design modifications, including low-friction coatings and specialised piston designs, to minimise energy losses during operation, even while the inactive cylinders continue to move without producing power.

According to the patent drawings, the concept is based on a V8 engine with two cylinder banks, each comprising four cylinders. In range-extender mode, one cylinder bank would likely be deactivated, allowing the system to operate more efficiently using only four cylinders. In combustion-engine mode, however, the full output of the V8 would remain available. Porsche currently uses V8 engines in the high-performance versions of the Cayenne and Panamera.

The published patent application does not indicate whether or when Porsche intends to commercialise the concept. It describes the underlying invention rather than a detailed production-ready design. As with any patent, there is also no guarantee that the technology will ultimately reach series production.

The patent application filed in December 2024 underlines that Porsche continues to pursue multiple powertrain technologies. As early as July 2024, the sports car manufacturer softened its original target of delivering more than 80 per cent of its vehicles as all-electric by 2030. “Our product strategy is designed in such a way that we could deliver more than 80 per cent of our new vehicles in 2030,” the company said at the time, making the target dependent on market demand rather than committing to it outright.

Porsche has since announced a new SUV model line, codenamed M1, which will be offered with combustion-engine and plug-in hybrid powertrains and is scheduled to enter production in Leipzig from 2028. The decision is widely seen as a response to weaker-than-expected demand for electric vehicles in key markets, including the United States.

dpma.de (Patent as PDF), auto-motor-und-sport.de (ambos enlaces en alemán)