An Electric Beginning in 1898

Before iconic sports cars and roaring engines, Porsche’s story began with silence—electric silence. In 1898, Ferdinand Porsche designed his very first vehicle: the Egger-Lohner C.2 Phaeton, an electric car powered by a rear hub motor producing just 3 horsepower.

This historic machine—affectionately known as the P1—was revolutionary. It had a top speed of 25 km/h and a range of 80 km, impressive numbers for its time. Porsche himself engraved the “P1” code onto its components, marking the birth of his engineering legacy.

Today, the original P1 stands proudly in the Porsche Museum as a symbol of innovation, reminding visitors that electric mobility is not new to Porsche—it’s part of its DNA.