Porsche 911 GT3, 911 GT 3 RS, and Boxster Spyder buyers will have the option of a lithium ion starter battery from next year.
The battery pack has the advantage of weighing just 6kg - 10kg less than a conventional lead battery. It is as long and wide as a standard battery, but 7cm lower.
The battery is delivered as a separate unit together with the car, and owners can switch between the two set-ups because the lithium ion unit will only work between 0 and 32 degrees centigrade.
Porsche says the lithium ion battery has many benefits over a standard lead unit, including allowing a significantly greater number of charging and discharging cycles, plus self-discharging less and having a longer service life.
No UK prices have been released yet, but the unit costs 1904 euros (£1720) including tax in Germany, or 2499 euros (£2258) including tax if it is retro-fitted.
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