If you’ve been dreaming about an electrified Porsche 911, we have some good news: One may be on the way. An executive at the German automaker has confirmed that there are already hybrid prototypes of the iconic vehicle.
Michael Steiner, a member of the German automaker’s research and development board, recently revealed that prototypes of a hybrid 911 already exist and are now being road-tested. He made the comments in an interview with UK publication Auto Express (via Road & Track).
“The platform is hybrid ready, and we have prototypes,” he told the magazine. “I drive it myself; it’s fun to drive.”
The marque will now use the prototype stage to work out kinks in the hybrid 911. Fitting the car with a hybrid powertrain would easily be the most radical change the car has undergone in its 57-year history, and there are still fundamental questions to answer. For example, Steiner says that the company still needs to decide on whether to prioritize performance or efficiency, adding, “This is one of the main decisions we have to [make]—deciding which direction such a variant of the 911 should take.”
While the news will be welcomed by anyone who hopes Porsche’s electrification efforts extend past its all-electric Taycan, there are plenty of issues that need to be sorted out before the hybrid 911 is production-ready. Talking to Autocar, Porsche’s head of motorsport Frank-Steffen Walliser pointed to the challenge of fitting an electrified powertrain in the 911 design: “[A hybrid is] really difficult to do with the 911 and the way it is packaged. We want to keep it as a 2+2, we want to keep decent trunk space and we don’t want to destroy the shape of the 911.”
Walliser also pointed out that added weight will be a concern. As we’ve seen with reaction to the Taycan’s less than impressive range, EV buyers expect their cars to be efficient, and that comes with more battery space and weight. Because of this, he hinted that we might not see an electric or hybrid variant of the car until the next generation. And with the 992-generation having debuted just last year, that could mean another six or so years of waiting.
So yes, an electrified Porsche 911 appears to be in our future, but it may take a while to arrive. Somehow, we suspect that won’t dampen enthusiasm from Porsche loyalists.
