Porsche Mission X design porn hopes to take Nurburgring trophy back from Tesla
Perhaps it was a coincidence that Porsche unveiled its Mission X concept electric vehicle a mere week after Tesla’s Model S Plaid with Track Package took the electric Nurburgring crown from the Taycan. The first bullet point in the Mission X press release was:
“Be the fastest road-legal vehicle around the Nürburgring Nordschleife”
Or perhaps not. But now we’re getting a better look at the concept and can make our own assumptions on whether or not this thing, or some variant of it, will make it to production.
Today’s information session was for a few journalists and was light on details, even in the design area, which was the focus of the Teams discussion.
But we did glean some interesting tidbits and, more importantly, got a much better look at the Mission X vehicle, which I captured from the Teams call below. Here are some of the tidbits.
The Yoke controller, which Porsche brought over from its racing teams, looks like a Nintendo controller. They couldn’t tell us if the vehicle was steer-by-wire, though the interior designer alluded to functionality like steer-by-wire but with additional safety pieces in place.
They wouldn’t give us a coefficient of drag (CoD) or even an estimated range, but they did say its downward force was significant and more than the 911 GT3 RS. I imagine the CoD is quite low and below .2, but there are enough design *spoilers*, like the three-dimensional Porsche logo on the back, to throw it off record levels of drag reduction.
The passenger seat and driver’s seat are different colors and can be molded into the driver’s exact dimensions through a scan and 3D printing process. The passenger has an analog/digital display for logging laps. The color differences are to signify that the driver is the person of note in the vehicle.
It has a cheetah mascot that adds to the “Porsche Zoo,” as one spokesman put the propensity for these concepts to get mascots. Other mascots have included the Vision 357 concept, which featured a dinosaur representing its soon-to-be-extinct fossil fuel nature, and Mission R, which had a boar mascot for its wildness. Porsche also slightly changed its iconic shield logo again, highlighting its Stuttgart birthplace.
The Mission X looks like a mid-engine, but this is actually where batteries are stored. Since the butt of the driver and passenger are pretty much on the ground, Porsche can’t use a typical skateboard type of battery/drivetrain design. Instead, it stacks the batteries behind the passenger compartment and close to the center of the overall vehicle, which helps with fore/aft balance.
There’s a “Daytona window” above the front window so the driver can see the stands. It almost acts like a moonroof since the driver faces forward and doesn’t look up. Between these windows is a ride-angle rear-view mirror for seeing the racers behind the driver.
The cockpit has no cupholders but an impressive array of analog buttons and switches complemented by two big screens.
Overall, the real car is best seen in a live walk-around video shared with reporters, screenshots from which can be seen below.
Electrek’s take:
The Porsche Mission X is a stunning application of electric vehicle capabilities in a hypercar layout. However, the proof is in the results, and we’re years away from knowing those. Will this thing not only beat Tesla but its stated goal of being the fastest vehicle ever, ICE or EV? That’s the real proof. And also, will it be made available in limited numbers to a few billionaires globally and take some Bugattis and Koenigseggs off the road? Time will tell.
Maybe the biggest question is, “Will this beat the Tesla Roadster 2.0 to market?” That might be the real race.
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Following approval from Transport Canada, EV startup Workhorse will be bringing the W56 and W750 model electric delivery vans to commercial truck dealers in Canada as early as this spring.
Workhorse first showed its W56 medium-duty electric truck at Indiana’s Work Truck Week in 2023, and has sold the trucks to logistics and delivery companies like FedEx and Pride Group – which ordered more than six thousand of the electric vans in 2021, and continues to expand its fleet.
“This is a major step forward for Workhorse,” says Josh Anderson, Workhorse’s chief technology officer in a press statement. “Pre-clearance from Transport Canada opens up a large new market for our products throughout Canada, including with fleets that operate across borders in North America.”
As part of the approval process, Workhorse completed its registration as a foreign manufacturer under Transport Canada’s Appendix G clearance program. Transport Canada confirmed the vans’ compliance with Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) for both vehicles – but it remains to be seen if and how the latest tariff-driven trade war between the Trump Administration’s US and Canada will impact Workhorse’s plans to expand throughout North America.
Despite that uncertainty, Workhorse execs remain upbeat. “We’re excited that our electric step vans can now reach Canadian roads and highways, providing reliable, zero-emission solutions that customers can depend on,” added Anderson.
Canadian pricing has yet to be announced.
Electrek’s Take
There’s no other way to say it: the Trump/Musk co-presidency is disrupting a lot of companies’ plans – and that’s especially true across North American borders. But in all this chaos and turmoil there undoubtedly lies opportunity, and it will be interesting to see who ends up on top.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Workhorse, via Electric Autonomy Canada.
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![Liebherr developing giant, 140-ton Segway-style autonomous haulers [video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/operational-area-earth-moving-copy.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The new Liebherr S1 Vision 140-ton hauler is unlike any heavy haul truck currently on the market – primarily because the giant, self-propelled, single-axle autonomous bucket doesn’t look anything like any truck you’ve ever seen.
Liebherr says its latest heavy equipment concept was born from a desire to rethink truck design with a focus only on core functions. The resulting S1 Vision is primarily just a single axle with two powerful electric motors sending power to a pair of massive airless tires designed carry loads up to 131 tonnes (just over 140 tons).
The design enables rapid maintenance, as important components easily accessible for quick servicing. Wear parts can be replaced efficiently, and the electric drive significantly reduces maintenance work. This helps to minimise downtimes and increases operational efficiency.
LIEBHERR
Because of its versatility, durability, and ability to perform zero-turn maneuvers that other equipment simply can’t, the Liebherr S1 Vision can be adapted for various applications, including earthmoving, mining, and even agriculture. There’s also a nonzero chance of this technology finding applications supporting other on-site equipment through charging or fuel delivery.
The S1 accomplishes that trick safely with the help of an automatic load leveling system that ensures maximum stability, even on bumpy or rough terrain. The company says this technology significantly reduces the risk of tipping while providing smooth and secure operation across various environments.
Liebherr will show the S1 Vision at this year’s bauma equipment exhibition in Munich, Germany. The design has already been nominated for the bauma Innovation Award in the Mechanical Engineering category – and my money’s on it winning.
Electrek’s Take
This is such goofy, stupid fun that if it was wheelbarrow-sized I’d have three of them. I can’t imagine the insanity of watching one of these things roll across a job site with 100 tons of granite in the bucket – and will have nightmares about the kind of damage it could do if it flipped out like a poorly made Chinese hoverboard clone whipping a toddler across a living room … which, in fairness, would probably get a billion views on Instagram or TikTok or whatever.
I can’t wait.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Liebherr.
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The HD arm of Hyundai has just released the first official images of the new, battery-electric HX19e mini excavator – the first ever production electric excavator from the global South Korean manufacturer.
The HX19e will be the first all-electric asset to enter series production at Hyundai Construction Equipment, with manufacturing set to begin this April.
The new HX19e will be offered with either a 32 kWh or 40 kWh li-ion battery pack – which, according to Hyundai, is nearly double the capacity offered by its nearest competitor (pretty sure that’s not correct –Ed.). The 40kWh battery allows for up to 6 hours and 40 minutes of continuous operation between charges, with a break time top-up on delivering full shift usability.
Those batteries send power to a 13 kW (17.5 hp) electric motor that drives an open-center hydraulic system. Hyundai claims the system delivers job site performance that is at least equal to, if not better than, that of its diesel-powered HX19A mini excavator.
To that end, the Hyundai XH19e offers the same 16 kN bucket breakout force and a slightly higher 9.4 kN (just over 2100 lb-ft) dipper arm breakout force. The maximum digging depth is 7.6 feet, and the maximum digging reach is 12.9 feet. Hyundai will offer the new electric excavator with just four selectable options:
- enclosed cab vs. open canopy
- 32 or 40 kWh battery capacity
All HX19es will ship with a high standard specification that includes safety valves on the main boom, dipper arm, and dozer blade hydraulic cylinders, as well as two-way auxiliary hydraulic piping allows the machine to be used with a range of commercially available implements. The hydraulics needed to operate a quick coupler, LED booms lights, rotating beacons, an MP3 radio with USB connectivity, and an operator’s seat with mechanical suspension are also standard.
Like its counterparts at Volvo CE, the new Hyundai excavator uses automotive-style charging ports to take advantage of existing infrastructure at fleet depots and public charging stations. More detailed specifications, dimensions, and pricing should be announced by bauma.
Electrek’s Take
The ability to operate indoors, underground, or in environments like zoos and hospitals were keeping noise levels down is of critical importance to the success of an operation makes electric equipment assets like these coming from Hyundai a must-have for fleet operators and construction crews that hope to remain competitive in the face of ever-increasing noise regulations. The fact that these are cleaner, safer, and cheaper to operate is just icing on that cake.
SOURCE | IMAGES: HD Hyundai; via Construction Index, Equipment World.
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