Deep Dive The Porsche Mission R concept is more than just a show car.

The Porsche Mission R Concept, unveiled at the Munich Motor Show in September, represents German performance brand Porsche's vision of the future electric racing car. But as Porsche's Deep Dive explains, this is more than just a show car.

The Mission R is a fully roadworthy prototype that incorporates ideas Porsche is considering for a customer electric racing car. While Porsche has not confirmed production plans, it has stated that many of its past concept cars, including the Boxster, Carrera GT, and 918 Spyder, eventually transformed into production models.

The all-wheel-drive Mission R is powered by two electric motors built by Porsche in Zuffenhausen, Germany. According to Porsche, these electric motors produce a total of 1,073 horsepower in qualifying trim and will run the Mission R from 0-62 mph in less than 2.5 seconds under 3,306 pounds.

The motor has a directly cooled stator (a stationary housing in which the rotor rotates), so it requires only one oil-cooling circuit and does not require the use of water-based coolant, Porsche claims. Porsche states that the trick comes from the Le Mans-winning 919 Hybrid racing car

, which was the first car to win Le Mans.

The car is equipped with a single-speed transmission, which allows for a top speed of over 186 mph, depending on the gear ratio. The transmission case cover is 3D printed, which the automaker claims is 30% lighter than conventional cast parts.

Also contributing to the weight reduction is bodywork made from a mix of carbon fiber and natural fibers, a sustainable material. The Munich show car was fitted with a steel safety cage, which Porsche plans to replace with a composite material in later versions.

Porsche has previously stated that the Mission R is similar in size to the 718 Cayman, but the concept is wider and lower. Still, this detail, and the fact that Porsche refers to the Mission R as a preview of future customer race cars, indicates that this concept may be an early hint of an electric 718. However, such a car will not appear until at least 2024 or later.

In the meantime, Porsche is looking for other ways to make racing more environmentally friendly. It is currently participating in Formula E, testing synthetic fuels in a 911 GT3 Cup car, and plans to return to Le Mans in 2023 with a hybrid prototype for the new LMDh class.