Reader Response Draft #1

As Lye mentioned in 2017, the famous power unit of the 2017 Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 was made and engineered to be the greatest in the endurance racing field. The vehicle’s main engine is a 2.0-liter V4 turbocharged Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), which provides more than 500 horsepower. Furthermore, the ICE works together with a hybrid system made up of the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), which uses braking energy converted into electrical power, and the Exhaust Energy Recovery System (ERS), which uses thermal energy from the exhaust gasses (Porsche AG, 2017). Porsche AG (2016) claims that the two hybrid systems store an extra 400 horsepower in the lithium-ion battery, which helps to boost performance overall. An all-wheel drive functioning was thus made possible with the front wheels being powered by the electric motor and the ICE powering the rear wheels, making the combined output close to 900 horsepower (Autoevolution, 2016). 

The 2017 Porsche 919 Hybrid’s power unit transformed the endurance racing industry with its various technological advancements in its Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), Energy Recovery System (ERS), and Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), making it one of the best endurance race cars in motorsport history then.

The Porsche 919’s Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), a highly complex 2.0-liter turbocharged V4 engine designed to satisfy the unique demands of endurance racing, is one of its key features. Antonio reported in 2024 that the V4 layout is relatively rare in modern motorsport due to the fact that it is relatively small compared to its competitors. Porsche chose this configuration as they prioritized maintaining a low center of gravity and optimizing the car’s overall balance. Eventually, the small size of the engine worked out as, according to Sam in 2017, despite its small displacement, this engine can produce approximately 500 horsepower, a testament to its advanced engineering. The engine uses direct fuel injection to operate at high turbo pressures. This allows the car to have noteworthy power output while at the same time retaining excellent fuel efficiency. Due to the engine’s small size, the hybrid components, such as the batteries & the motors, can be incorporated into the vehicle’s chassis with maximum efficiency while maintaining weight and aerodynamics. 

Porsche's main competitor, Toyota, used a 2.4-litre V6 engine , which is although a more powerful engine compared to the Porsche's, it is way heavier which is a big factor in endurance racing. The V6 engine also suffered a lot of reliability issues which further shows that the ICE of the Porsche 919 is in fact the better and more reliable engine, thus proving its superiority.

Working with ICE, the Porsche 919's hybrid system, which consists of the Energy Recovery System (ERS) and the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), is another essential feature in making its power unit one of the best in the endurance world.

Porsche's Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) is a system that captures energy generated from braking. The Porsche's kinetic energy is converted into electrical power when the vehicle decelerates by the front axle’s electric motor, which acts as a generator. Without this feature, the energy will typically not be used efficiently, wasted, or completely lost. A state-of-the-art battery made up of lithium-ions, stores this electrical energy. This battery then provides power to the motor, thus handing over an extra 400 horsepower to the front axle of the Porsche (Randy, P, 2018). This trade is typically done during overtaking and/or acceleration. The battery helping with overtaking and acceleration helps to increase the car’s performance without compromising high fuel usage making it key for endurance races as fuel usage is also a key factor for winning races. This boosts performance, especially during acceleration or overtaking maneuvers, without increasing fuel consumption.

On the other hand, Schaeffler Group mentioned in 2017 that the Exhaust Energy Recovery System (ERS) functions by converting the car’s exhaust gasses into thermal energy. The ERS uses the heat energy captured by the engine’s exhaust via a turbine. The captured heat energy is then converted into electrical energy and stored in the same lithium-ion battery used by the KERS.

Although ERS is used in other cars like the Toyota TS050 Hybrid, the one in the Porsche 919 is built and used more straightforwardly. It only uses one generator, while the latter uses two. Although it meant lesser power, it helped with reliability and efficiency, which helped Porsche attain the top place in their category, outclassing Toyota.

In conclusion, by combining remarkably engineered Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) technology with a world-standard hybrid system, the Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 won many races, some by a landslide. More specifically, the compact-sized Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and the two energy recovery systems, the KERS and the ERS, perfectly refined power and even efficiency. This makes the Porsche 919 Hybrid one of the most powerful and efficient endurance cars. Therefore, the Porsche 919 Hybrid earned its right to be one of the best, thus setting a key example in motorsport history.

REFERENCES

Lye, G. (2017, April 3). 2017 Porsche 919 Hybrid – 900 hp LMP1 race car. Paultan.org. https://paultan.org/2017/04/03/2017-porsche-919-hybrid-900-hp-lmp1-race-car/

Porsche AG. (2017). Porsche 919 Hybrid 2017 technical specifications. Porsche.com. Retrieved from https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/motorsports/porsche-world-premiere-monza-919-hybrid-2017-le-mans-prototype-13583.html

Porsche AG. (2016). How the technology of the 919 Hybrid Works. Porsche Newsroom. https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/motorsports/porsche-motorsport-fiawec-919-hybrid-technology-lmp1-race-car-12724.html

Autoevolution. (2016, March 27). 2016 Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 race car packs 900 horsepower.  https://www.autoevolution.com/news/2016-porsche-919-hybrid-lmp1-race-car-packs-900-horsepower-105818.html

Collins, S. (2017, June 18). Porsche 919 (9R9 MY15-MY17). Racecar Engineering. https://www.racecar-engineering.com/cars/porsche-919-9r9-my15/

Andreani, A. (2024, February 26). The Science Behind Porsche’s Record-Breaking V4 Engine. Top Speed. https://www.topspeed.com/porsche-v4-engine-technology-explained/

Pobst, R. (2018, July 9). Porsche 919 Hybrid Race Car Review: The Ultimate Harmony of Gas and Electric. Motor Trend. https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/porsche-919-hybrid-race-car-review/

Schaeffler Group. (2017). WEC Bahrain fact sheet (Version XXL). Schaeffler Japan. https://www.schaeffler.co.jp/remotemedien/media/_shared_media/11_events/sponsoring/wec/wec_bahrain_fact_sheet_xxl_2017_11_en.pdf