A pioneering – and exceedingly rare – Lohner-Porsche 'Mixte' hybrid electric car has been entered for the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run on 6 November.
The fascinating 111-year-old vehicle, put forward by its Austrian owner, can lay claim to be the world's first electric front-wheel-drive hybrid and was conceived by Ferdinand Porsche while he was working for Vienna coachbuilder Jacob Lohner.
By mounting electric motors in the wheels, Porsche did away with the need for transmission or driveshafts, but battery technology at the time was too rudimentary for it to work effectively and it included a petrol engine to generate sufficient electricity to drive the wheels and increase range.
To add a twist, the car will be driven by Porsche's grandson Ernst Piech and Andreas Lohner of the coachbuilding family. The Lohner-Porsche will also be on display at the event's Concours d’Elegance staged on the previous day in Regent Street.
James Elliott is a former Editor of Classic & Sports Car