In 1898, Ferdinand Porsche builds an electric car with front wheel stub axle steering and an “octagon” electric motor. The name is derived from the enclosed, eight-sided motor housing, which weighs in at just 130 kilograms, features shock absorbers and is suspended and oscillated around the rear axle. The car speed is regulated by a twelve-speed controller with six forward gears, two reverse gears and four braking levels. Four vehicles based on this chassis are made with different body constructions by Viennese carriage manufacturer Ludwig Lohner. One of them won the first prize in a 40-kilometre race in the context of the first International Motor Show in Berlin in 1899. The Egger-Lohner C2 Phaeton is the oldest construction by Ferdinand Porsche still in existence.
Specifications
| Model Year | 1898 |
| Engine | Octagon electric engine |
| Power Output | 2,2-3,7 kW (3-5 HP) |
| Top Speed | 25 km/h |
| Range | 80 km |
