If the names Vonnen, Kelly-Moss, and Porsche all sound familiar, they should. You obviously know Porsche, and we talked about U.S.-based Kelly-Moss Road and Race (KMR) last August. They love doing things like building custom 911s for racing on-road or off, and occasionally they stack 911s up like a gigantic game of automotive Tetris. Vonnen is another company we’ve featured previously, which has a trick hybrid system called Shadow Drive that installs neatly into a 991-series 911 and adds gobs of instant power. You probably see where this is going.

Yes, the two companies have joined forces to create a safari-themed 911 Turbo S with an electric twist. It goes beyond just this cool racing machine, however. Should others fancy an electrified 911, Vonnen will build a Shadow Drive and KMR will install it. In a press release, Vonnen explains that KMR is the first certified reseller and installer for its hybrid technology.

Gallery: Vonnen Porsche 911 Carrera

Why go with a heavy hybrid system on a racy 911? For starters, it’s not that heavy. The system is fairly compact and drops an electric motor where the flywheel would normally be. A modest battery is dropped into the 911’s frunk, and in current trim it adds 150 bhp to the already-potent Turbo S featured here. By the time redundant components are removed, the extra mass from the Shadow Drive only amounts to 150 pounds (68 kg). Compared to the gains in fuel efficiency and instant-on power, it seems like a fair tradeoff.

“The experience Shadow Drive provides is both impressive and addictive, and we can’t wait to offer this unique tuning solution to our customers,” said KMR Director of Operations Andy Kilcoyne. “The ability to boost power without trading off fuel economy, emissions, and drivability really sets it apart from traditional power adders. It’s like adding the instant torque of a Tesla to the raw driving excitement of a Porsche – the best of both worlds. We are confident that our customers will find it a welcome addition to both stock and modified cars alike.”

The announcement doesn’t mention the cost for such a conversion, but that would likely vary on the type of 911 you want to create. The company does offer a demonstration vehicle that interested customers can sample before going electric, and it will be on display at various events this year as well as at KMR's headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin.

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Vonnen and Kelly-Moss Announce Kelly-Moss Road and Race as First Certified North American Reseller Installer of Shadow Drive Performance Hybrid Technology

Safari-Themed 991 Series Porsche 911 Turbo S Marks First KMR Vehicle Equipped with Vonnen Shadow Drive

Santa Clara, Calif. and Madison, Wis. (February 05, 2020) — Silicon Valley-based Vonnen, the pioneer of performance hybrid retrofit technology, together with Madison, Wisconsin-based Porsche specialist Kelly-Moss Road and Race (KMR), today announced KMR as a Certified Reseller Installer of Shadow Drive™ performance hybrid systems. Together with the announcement, KMR debuted Shadow Drive equipped, safari-themed 991 Series 911 Turbo S.

“KMR is the caliber of partner that will serve customers well in the Midwest region” said Chuck Moreland, Founder and CEO of Vonnen, “They are highly respected in the Porsche community with a well-earned reputation for competence and quality earned through their rich racing heritage and popular safari cars. KMR will help us expand our footprint to meet growing demand in the region.”

“The experience Shadow Drive provides is both impressive and addictive, and we can’t wait to offer this unique tuning solution to our customers,” said KMR Director of Operations, Andy Kilcoyne. “The ability to boost power without trading off fuel economy, emissions, and drivability really sets it apart from traditional power adders. It’s like adding the instant torque of a Tesla to the raw driving excitement of a Porsche – the best of both worlds. We are confident that our customers will find it a welcome addition to both stock and modified cars alike.”

According to Vonnen, Shadow Drive works by integrating an electric motor into a car’s drivetrain between engine and transmission, supplementing the existing combustion engine with an electric motor. In this way, it combines the sounds and tactile experience of driving a combustion engine powered car with the instant response, wide powerband, and energy recovery features of an EV, supplying an extra 150 horsepower and 150 ft-lb of electric torque. Shadow Drive represents a novel approach to hybridization that is capable of fitting into vehicles with space constraints, while keeping weight impact to a minimum.

KMR will provide sales, installation, and support in order to meet growing demand in the Midwest region. It’s state-of-the-art 40,000 sq./ft facility and Vonnen-certified sales and technical staff combine to provide an exemplary experience for Shadow Drive installations. As part of its relationship with Vonnen, Kelly-Moss will have a demonstrator vehicle on hand for customers to experience Shadow Drive for themselves

KMR’s Safari-themed 911 with Shadow Drive installed will be on display at Das Renn Treffen, Amelia Concours Week, and at Caffeine and Octane in Atlanta and is also available for customer demonstrations at their Madison, Wisconsin headquarters. Details of the build can be found here http://vonnen.com/builds/

About Vonnen

Established in 2016 by founder and CEO Chuck Moreland, Vonnen is a vehicle hybridization company focused on integrating hybrid technology into platforms not originally designed for hybrid power. The company’s initial product, Shadow Drive, replaces a drivetrain’s stock flywheel with an electric motor for increased performance with no emissions or fuel economy penalties. Located in Santa Clara, Calif., Vonnen is a sister company of Porsche suspension components supplier, Elephant Racing, of which Moreland also serves as founder and CEO.

About Kelly Moss Racing

With a history dating back to 1988, Kelly-Moss Road and Race follows a performance-driven philosophy which has lead to over 100 race victories and world-renowned recognition for their custom vehicle builds. From the track to the street, their established winning history provides confidence no other shop can match – that’s the Kelly-Moss difference.