Lithium ion batteries are all the rage these days with so many manufacturers planning to use them for hybrid and battery electric vehicles. Porsche today announced that it will be the first automaker to offer a lithium ion starter battery for conventional vehicles. The new battery will be available as an option for the 911 GT3, 911 GT3 RS and Boxster Spyder. The main reason for using this type of battery is weight reduction, since the 13 pound lithium unit cuts 22 pounds off the mass of the standard lead acid battery. The lithium battery has the same foot print as the lead battery but is 2.8 inches lower.

As always with a Porsche, options don't come cheap. The 18 Ah lithium ion battery will cost €1,904 in Germany including the 19% value-added-tax. Interestingly, when ordered, the car comes with the standard battery as well as the lithium ion. That's because in cold temperatures (below freezing), the lead battery has to be put back in the car, because the lithium performance drops off too much. Since drivers are unlikely to be driving quite as fast when it's that cold having, the heavier battery in place shouldn't be too much of a problem. For those that need to squeeze the absolute maximum performance out of their Porsche, the factory is always happy to help you find ways to spend your money.