First Drive: This Reimagined Electric Porsche 911 Works as a Cruiser, but It Lacks the Original’s Punch
Few automotive tribes are as cultish as air-cooled Porsche fanatics. Their emotional attachment to the analog peculiarities of the 911 model—the distinctive whir of the flat-six valvetrain, the distinctly oily aromas, the uncannily light and accurate steering— this is the stuff of obsession. Thus, it is with great controversy that Everrati Automotive not only elects to pluck those engines and modify these icons, but to fundamentally redefine them through electrification.
The UK-based firm is no stranger to messing with sacred cows: Everrati gives its restomod treatment to classic Land Rovers, Mercedes-Benz examples, and a handful of bespoke one-offs including vintage Aston Martins and Jaguars. But the specimen I tested in Southern California, a 964 generation of 911 (the series made from 1988 through 1994) finished in Miami Blue, is the first Everrati to be built outside of the UK by Aria Group in Irvine, Calif. This initial stateside build required the Everrati team to oversee the EV drivetrain installation alongside Aria personnel, the latter handling the chassis and carbon-fiber bodywork.
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Apart from some bodywork accents, a unique ducktail spoiler, and the car’s lack of a tailpipe, the EV reimagining of the 911 looks nearly identical to its six-cylinder counterpart. Inside, a few telltale signs betray its electron-intensive power supply: an Everrati-branded power-flow gauge in place of the traditional tachometer, discreetly embedded EV-related instruments, a power button against the dash panel, and a one-off machined shifter instead of Porsche’s conventional leather-wrapped gear-change lever.
To commission an electric modification of a Porsche 911 is to commit to a certain element of paradox, especially when that bespoke creation reaches the $330,000 mark. Google Nest founder Matt Rogers didn’t shy away from the commitment, venturing fully and completely into a realm many gearheads consider sacrilegious, all with the goal of producing zero tailpipe emissions.
That said, as much as a 53 kWh battery pack and a Tesla motor are inherently alien to the Porsche platform, Everrati makes engineering efforts to ensure this 500 hp EV retains some elemental similarities to its donor vehicle. That means establishing a 40/60 weight distribution to emulate the rear-biased balance of the 911 (with the front fuel tank filled). The Everrati’s overall mass comes in 40 pounds under that of its gasoline equivalent, and the weight delta can reach 70 pounds with a different spec. For instance, Rogers chose to forgo the carbon-fiber roof for a steel one in order to incorporate a sunroof, which adds more mass to the top of the car. This example also bears some subtle aesthetic decisions that would ruffle the feathers of the Porsche orthodox, like the deletion of rain gutters in favor of a flush roofline (gutters were vanquished with the advent of the 996 series in 1997).
The Everrati’s doors shut with the same reassuring thunk as its unequivocally satisfying gasoline equivalent. With a twist of the left-handed key and a press of a button, the 964 is ready for action. Nearly everything from here feels different: Click the gearshift lever into position, and the floor-mounted accelerator pedal translates ankle flexion into smooth, gearshift-free forward motion with a high-pitched, nearly dog-whistle-like whine. There’s none of the musical accompaniment of internal combustion. While the acceleration feels swift, it doesn’t feel 500 hp fast to me. Nor does the vehicle seem to cover zero to 60 mph in the claimed 3.68 seconds. This is, however, due to the fact that I don’t know that a small switch activates a Sport setting which unleashes the car’s full power (I find that out later). Your acceleration will vary.
The steering response feels heavier than an air-cooled 911, but Everrati CEO Justin Lunny says this particular example was calibrated to Rogers’ preference. Interestingly, Lunny says strict UK manufacturing regulations dictate that the car would have to be registered in a different class if the steering hardware was fundamentally changed. And it’s a good thing those changes haven’t been made, since the stock 911’s hydraulic steering is fundamentally fantastic. Though future U.S.-spec Everrati projects may be fitted with electric power-assist steering, this particular example sticks to the original setup.
The suspension feels taut and controlled. Although a small TracTive touchscreen enables on-the-fly damper adjustments, I don’t notice much difference between settings. Direction changes feel immediate, and the wide Michelins deliver tenacious grip. Everrati says its 964 restomod should deliver approximately 200 miles of range on a full charge, depending on driving style.
For those who are especially attached to the sounds, smells, and sensations of the old-school 911, this high-dollar take on the classic air-cooled version of the model begs the question: Is an electrified 911 viscerally equivalent to its gas-burning donor car? Far from it; although these reinterpretations of the 911 may look identical and offer the same ergonomics as the originals, the drive difference is dramatic. Had I accessed the full 500 hp, I suspect the added speed would have given this machine a greater sense of modernity. As it stands, Everrati’s take on the 911 makes for an intriguing and stylish cruiser, but it’s unlikely to see duty as an all-rounder in the same way that “off-the-rack” 911s tend to. And that’s ok; after all, these are bespoke builds that often become parts of larger car collections, and are unlikely to become workaday transportation solutions.
Everrati’s future 911 projects promise more exoticism in the form of a lightweight RSR version and the option for a motor from Helix, the same supplier that provides power plants for the Aston Martin Valkyrie and the Volkswagen I.D. R prototype racer, which became the first vehicle to break the eight-minute mark at the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb competition.
While no electric 911 will feel the same as its gasoline-powered inspiration, perhaps that’s the point—and the reason Porsche says its most iconic model will also be the last to be electrified. For most, a snarling, growling 911 is the only 911 for them. But for the thin slice of clientele who seek a different, quieter, cleaner-burning way of getting around, Everrati offers a viable, albeit unorthodox, way to stay in the Porsche club.
Click here for more photos of this all-electric Porsche 964 restomod from Everrati.
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