2024 Piëch GT: Electric coupe continues testing as Porsche debates an electric 911

UPDATE, March 7, 2022: Swiss electric vehicle manufacturer Piëch Automotive has released a new behind-the-scenes video, as research and development continues on its upcoming 2024 GT coupe.

As the marque etches closer to the scheduled mid-2024 production start, it has launched a waiting list for interested parties and debuted an in-depth product film, explaining further details for the GT.

With the latest battery technology, recharging the Piëch GT from 0 to 80 per cent is claimed to take just five minutes, while the 0-97km/h sprint is said to be completed in less than three seconds.

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October 7, 2021: It was less than a year ago when Porsche CEO Oliver Blume proclaimed the iconic 911 would retain its combustion engine for the foreseeable future, but the German carmaker’s design boss is already considering an electric 911 beyond 2030.

Speaking to the UK’s Autocar, Porsche design chief Michael Mauer suggested there were strong opinions for and against the idea of a battery-powered 911 at the company.

“I’m part of the group that went from air-cooling to water-cooling, and now we have turbocharged engines,” Mauer said, but argued a 911 with a petrol engine is increasingly difficult to package.

“Maybe an electric 911 is another story, but purely from a design standpoint an electric 911 is even easier in the future."

But while those within Porsche are still debating a flagship electric sports car, the great-grandson of company founder Ferdinand Porsche is building his own.

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In 2019, Anton ‘Toni’ Piëch announced his intention to create a two-door sports car with a 300kW battery-electric powertrain and a driving range of 500km – today the vehicle is about to begin its pre-production testing phase.

Named the Piëch GT, the car now has around 450kW from its three electric motors – thanks to improvements in available technologies – which the company claims is enough to get the 1800kg coupe to 100km/h from a standstill in under three seconds.

“The new Piëch GT should convincingly transport the DNA of a classic sports car into the electric age,” said Rae Stark Rajcic, Piëch Chief Design Officer and co-founder.

“We created a sports car with a timeless design, just like we would dream [of] ourselves. And we spoke at length with car enthusiasts about what is missing on the market. The result was a modern classic that is not bound by any consumer cycles.”

Though the Piëch GT has a shape reminiscent of classic sports cars, there appears to be more of an influence from Aston Martin than of Porsche – perhaps to help distance itself from its links with the German brand.

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“Not only are we flexible in terms of design and body shapes, but we are also keeping all options open when it comes to powertrains,” explained Toni Piëch.

“We’re starting with electric cars, but our modular vehicle architecture would allow us to respond flexibly to corresponding developments and breakthroughs in the field of hydrogen or fuel-cells.”

Unlike many other electric vehicle start-ups, Piëch appears to have no financing issues. In May, a Zurich-based holding company with links to Rajcic submitted an unsuccessful offer of €7.5 billion (AU$11.9 billion) to Volkswagen Group for the purchase of Lamborghini.

With strong financial backing, the Piëch GT will be one of three models from the Swiss carmaker – with a sedan and SUV expected in the coming years.

The company’s first prototypes of the GT will undergo testing over the next year, lead by veteran BMW M engineer Klaus Schmidt.

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“Piëch is exactly following the tried-and-tested testing cycles of German premium manufacturers here, with trials in heat and dust, in sub-zero temperatures with ice and snow, and on demanding roads and racetracks such as the Nürburgring Nordschleife, to be able to meet our target of starting series production in 2024,” Schmidt said.

The company has plans to launch the Piëch GT in Europe, China, and the US – around the same time Porsche is rumoured to be launching all-electric versions of its Boxster and Cayman.

The Porsche 911 has long been praised for continuing the same recipe for decades, but Piëch could be positioning its GT as the car’s spiritual successor in the new age of electric cars.