The Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 will use a turbocharged 16-valve 2.0-liter direct-injection V4 engine that has an unusually wide V angle. Moreover, the turbocharger is not electric such as the one found on the Audi R18 e-Tron Quattro. The V4 engine is not quite popular among automotive engineering due to the problems with the configuration in achieving smooth running. Apparently, Porsche adopted this engine for packaging reasons in order to obtain an optimum positioning of the battery-fed hybrid drive system. For those who don’t know, Porsche already announced that the 919 Hybrid will use a four-cylinder engine and two recuperation system capable to store energy in a battery unit until the driver deploys it through an electric motor that delivers the power to the front wheels.
The two energy recuperation systems found on then 919 Hybrid are called KERS and ERS, where ERS is called AER by Porsche. KERS recovers the kinetic energy during braking on the front axle, while the ERS operates via the exhaust gas on the turbochargers. The energy obtained by these two systems is stored in a lithium-ion unit supplied by A123 Systems. Porsche will debut the 919 Hybrid in the 2014 WEC on 20 April with the Silverstone Six Hours, but the real test will be at Le Mans.
