Porsche's first ever electric car

In 1948 the Type 356 became the first sports car to wear hallowed Porsche badges, but the marque's heritage can be traced all the way back to the previous century.

Fifty years prior, Ferdinand Porsche - the godfather of the famous German brand - created the Egger-Lohner electric vehicle dubbed C.2 Phaeton model.

Dubbed the P1 -- Porsche, number one -- the vehicle was propelled by an electric motor that generated three horsepower, or about two kilowatts. It had an overdrive function that could hike power to five horsepower for short periods too.

In its day, the 116-year-old P1 could reach speeds of up to 35km/h claims Porsche, and was first driven on June 26, 1898 in Vienna, Austria. It had a cruising range of 80km or 50 miles and road speed was governed by a 12-speed controller.

Tipping the scales at just 130kg, the P1 weighed less than one tenth that of a modern day Porsche 911 and blitzed the field in a race in September 1899. The course spanned 40km through Berlin and the P1 won by 18 minutes and used less energy than all other rivals. Not bad for an antique!

Looking like a cross between a horse-drawn carriage (sans the horse) and a bedraggled billycart, the antiquated vehicle has been recently acquired by Porsche, unrestored and in original condition, and will be shown for the first time at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart as a "technical and historical worldwide sensation" says the company.

It is not clear what dollar value would be placed on the vehicle, other than to say the P1 is a priceless addition to the museum.

Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...

Don't forget to register to comment on this article.