Porsche has been working on a hybrid 911 for quite a while now. Back in 2017, when the current 992 generation was still under development, Porsche was going back and forth on whether it wanted to delve into selling a 911 hybrid, and what form that hybrid would take. Now, three years into the 992’s production run, the hybrid model has yet to appear on the scene. Despite this, at a round table interview last week, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume dropped a few hints of what we can expect from all new hybridized 911.
Should We Expect Surprises From Porsche In The Future?
Previous reports had suggested that the electrified 911 would arrive as a plug-in hybrid, but at the roundtable, Blume explicitly said that the 911 will not be plug-in, with that duty being left to the Cayenne SUV and Panamera models. Oliver Blume described the 911 as a "sporty hybrid" and even said it was inspired by the exciting 919 Hybrid, an endurance race car that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015, 2016, and 2017. The intrigued panel asked Blume whether the 911 GT models, such as the GT3, would receive hybridization in the future, to which he simply responded that we should expect "surprises" from the 911 down the line - he certainly wasn't giving much away.
At the roundtable, Blume also explained that the smaller 718 lineups will hit the market with an all-electric model in 2025, which will retain the classic mid-engine roadster dimensions. The Macan EV that will arrive for the US in 2024 was confirmed again, and Porsche also reiterated its ongoing development of synthetic fuels. Porsche said it is aiming for 80 percent of its sales to be fully electric by 2030, with synthetic fuel helping bridge the remaining gap. An all-electric 911 is not on the table yet, but let’s be honest, it’ll happen eventually.
How Long Will Porsche Be Able To Leave A Combustion Engine In The 911?
Blume kept his lips sealed, but word has it that the 911 hybrid will secure the top performance model spot, placing it above the powerful 911 Turbo S. This means that it’ll have at least 640 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque on hand. Porsche has a lot to prove with the 911 hybrid, and they’re certainly taking their time to bring it to the market. Porsche announced that roughly $24 million will be invested in the development of "e-fuels," which officials say is a climate-neutral fuel to replace gasoline in nonelectric vehicles.
Porsche will keep the internal combustion engine alive solely for the 911 for as long as possible. The combination of hybridizing it and the use of a newly developed synthetic fuel should keep it emissions-friendly for years to come. With most of the automobile industry swiftly turning to electric vehicles, it makes sense for Porsche to jump on the bandwagon. Fingers crossed.
Source: CarAndDriver, CarBuzz, CNBC