Porsche has just announced that it will be returning to Le Mans with an astonishing new prototype, and we can't wait to see how it fares there. But while motorsport is a very important part of Porsche's pedigree, it hasn't stopped looking for ways to innovate as the world changes to a greener way of doing things.
One way that manufacturers have been looking to advance technology on cars is by employing 3D printing, and the possibilities are endless. In fact, the German producer of astounding machines like the Taycan has now made its first complete housing for an electric drive using the technology.
We already know the benefits of 3D printing thanks to Chevrolet's success on the track, Bugatti's special exhaust, and the fact that even wheels can now be made using the technology. Porsche lists quite a few benefits to its new electric drive housing, claiming that the new alloy housing is lighter than a conventionally cast part by approximately 10 percent. This is just one way in which Porsche has proven the benefits of 3D printing, having already shown that the 911 GT2 RS has no issues with its printed pistons.
The new housing, according to Porsche's Powertrain Advance Development Project Manager, Falk Heilfort, "proves that additive manufacturing [...] is also suitable for larger and highly-stressed components in electric sports cars."
Porsche says that it is conceivable that the optimized electric drive could be used in a limited-edition super sports car. This rules out the possibility of the printed housing being fitted to a regular production car anytime soon, but with double the stiffness, less assembly work, and improved quality of this new part, it's only a matter of time before it becomes affordable enough and viable for use on series-production vehicles.
The new housing is also more compact, can be made to the exact requirements of the engineers with ease, and even improves cooling of the drive unit as a whole. It's a brand-new world out there, and companies like Porsche are learning to make the most of it.