Fan-Made Porsche City Car: Odd-Ball Invention Or Brilliant One-Off Creation?

The One-Off Polo EDrive Is A Porsche Parts-Bin Special

Even before the electric conversion, the group installed a fully transparent panoramic glass roof. The body style has stayed true to the Polo, except for the wheels from a 996 Turbo and brake calipers from a Porsche. The rear features a tail light that can be pulled out and features 220V charging sockets. There is also a solar system in the rear, which is linked to transparent solar panels embedded in the transparent roof, which Julien believes one day be used to charge the battery of the car. The headlights were 3D-printed and powered by custom wiring after two years of conceptualizing and designing, inspired by Porsche’s Mission E concept.

The Polo E-Drive features two batteries - a 100 kWh gel battery which was custom-made for the car by Lead Intelligent Equipment, from China, and a 12V traditional car battery that powers everything else. The e-drive has a range of 120 miles and speed is electronically limited to the prevalent lawful speed limits. The car comes with a single pedal, which is used for braking. Acceleration and reversing are controlled via paddles on the steering wheel. You can also control the forward and reverse motion of the car via a remote control, inspired by the Maybach 6 concept car. The remote can also be used to control the air suspension, lights, and windows. They hope to incorporate directional control shortly.

The Dashboard Borrows Bits From A 986 Porsche Boxter

The cabin is segregated into a blue zone and a grey zone, the idea being that the blue zone is the driver’s zone, including the driver’s seat, steering, and dashboard area. This is a part of the tribute to Julien’s late best friend, as a way to forever honor his place in the driver’s seat. While the colors may look odd, the shapes on the dash should be familiar to any Porschephile. The seats too are from a Porsche with a conceptual seat belt design in the center. The rear seats have roller coaster-inspired metal finish seatbelts. The entertainment unit is an iPad, similar to how restomod companies are modernizing the interiors of older cars.

Underneath the car is the battery pack, aux battery, and the AccuAir suspension system which can be used to lower and raise the car with the press of a button. The Polo EDrive concept has been presented at several car shows and festivals across Europe, winning several awards and acquiring something of a cult following.Julien insisted that they do not do this for commercial purposes and that working on the car is more of a hobby. The loyal friends who keep Laurent Maman’s memory burning bright by continuously improving upon the concept, have big plans for the car. At the end of the video, Jerome invited the team to the U.S. and exhibit the Polo EDrive in car shows like SEMA. The Polo Edrive tells a great story about friendship and a shared love for cars.