When the current-generation 992 Porsche 911 debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show in late 2018, August Achleitner (Mr. 911), the now retired head of development for the 911 range, said the iconic sports car would get a hybrid variant within four years. He said the 992 was designed for the possibility of adding an electrified variant that would further enhance its performance, as there is room within the PDK automatic transmission to integrate an electric motor. The transmission was also engineered to cope with high torque levels of the sort that can come with electrification.
But such a model wasn’t a priority, as the focus was on other electric vehicle plans. Porsche was getting ready to launch the Taycan EV sedan as the first of a family of pure-electric vehicles that will spawn the Cross Turismo electric wagon later this year. Plans also call for future generations of vehicles to feature electric versions, starting with the Porsche Macan in 2022. Electrified models are also planned for the Boxster and Cayman, all of which would join the extant hybrid versions of the Cayenne SUV and the Panamera sedan.
So, what about the 911?
Klaus Zellmer, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, would like to see it in showrooms for North American customers. But he’s careful to not say too much in our recent interview, an approach that isn’t too surprising given the loaded history of this seemingly simple question.
911 Last to Be Electrified
Timing and technology of an electrified 911 depend on who you ask, and when. Based on interviews with top Porsche executives over the past couple of years, the plans appear quite fluid, to say the least. The one area where most agree: It is not imminent, and the 911 will likely be the last Porsche to be electrified.
Porsche Chairman Oliver Blume told media outlets last fall the 911 hybrid would be the highest-performing variant. Others have said it could be used to hit ever-tightening efficiency targets. Meanwhile, Frank-Steffen Walliser, who oversees the 911 lineup, has suggested it might be best to keep electric motors and other components out as they add weight to an incredibly poised, balanced car, once which doesn’t have much room for packaging such a powertrain’s additional hardware.
Initially, executives said the 911 would get a mild hybrid. As time passed, that talk changed, as well. Blume said a 700-hp 911 hybrid would make the kind of impact needed, and that would require the more powerful electric motors of a plug-in setup.
And then there is the timing. For years, talk was the hybrid 911 would arrive by 2022. Then the timeframe became 2023 or 2024 as part of the 992 generation’s mid-cycle refresh, or even as late as 2026. As for a pure EV variant, that could be a decade away.
North American Chief Wants One
Our time with Zellmer came amidst the conflicting reports. “I’ll leave that up to my friend Frank Walliser, who has actually given a lot of insights recently about the potential of a mild hybrid in the 911,” Zellmer said with a laugh that said he would in no way publicly disagree with his colleagues. “I think there are a lot of technical advantages in hybridization of cars, absolutely,” he added.
Asked if he is pushing for a 911 hybrid for his North American market, Zellmer said, “Rest assured, I’m in contact with my colleagues in Germany in our research and development center. One of my most important responsibilities is representing the customer’s voice here in the United States and Canada to make sure we have cars that keep us on the success track going forward, and [the cars] customers want and expect from us.”
We think that means he wants one in the lineup. But while it sure seems like an electrified 911 is an inevitability, the debate within Porsche means its arrival likely remains some ways in the distance.
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