The Lohner-Porsche is one of The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology 's most exciting cars. It is an electric car from the beginning of the 20th century – with battery boxes in front and under the driver's seat, as well as in the rear – and a system of electric motors in the front wheels.
The world opted out of the electric car
Over 100 years later, we see that electric cars are making a comeback. Even Porsche's setup in this car is described as "interesting" in an article in Elbil24 from 2019.
Porsche's first car
Ferdinand Porsche built this car for the coachbuilder Lohner before he started his own, now slightly more famous, car company.
Among other things, he tried to solve the problem of unsprung weight by putting in some hefty leaf spring packages!
The car is one of three electric cars Porsche built in its early career. The other two are at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart and the Technical Museum in Vienna.
The Technical Museum's car is described as the "Mother of all Porsches".
A gift to The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology
It was donated to the museum by Engineer Arthur Bjerke. Bjerke, who believed the car came to Norway in 1908, bought it in 1912 as a study car and writes "through it I acquired several experiences in the construction and practice of electric cars".
He donated it to the museum in 1930. At this time, electric cars were losing competition with gasoline cars, since fossil fuel was cheaper and simpler as opposed to the challenges of the problems of battery capacity and electric operation. Today, it is something the electric car manufacturers are in the process of solving.
Need for means of preservation
- Since then, the car has periodically been on display, but has unfortunately been stored in storage for many years and is in dire need of conservation. With support from Porsche Norway, the museum has started a preliminary project in 2019 to find out more about the car's history and its condition. During the year, we will draw up a plan for further conservation of the car, says Fodstad.
Conservator Hanne Skagmo works with color samples of the car.
Visit from Porsche Norway and the central management of Porsche.
Lohner Porsche, as it looked when it was documented in the museums' digital archive, Primus.
Endre Fodstad assesses the condition of the undercarriage at Lohner Porsche.
