The Fate of the 911 Hybrid (Photos)
For years and decades, Porsche has been a legendary performance car, but lately, there have been talks about a hybrid 911. While the hybrid has recently gotten a "no" from corporate we're wondering if that's actually just a "not right now".
1. The Initial Plans
In 2015, Porsche confirmed plans to introduce a hybrid, which was set to be part of the newest generation of Porsche. During an event that celebrated the one-millionth 911 vehicle, officials explained that the hybrid would not be a part of the 911 lineup. The proposed car, which was still on track to go into production in February, would have hit the market in 2020 as a 992.
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2. Hybrid Plans On Paper
On paper, Porsche had bright plans for the fuel sipping 911 hybrid vehicle, claiming it would've been extremely efficient but still powerful. The need for the mixed system is due to European emission tests that are focused solely on the tighter requirements that vehicles need to meet. There, even more, were plans to introduce a hybrid for each Porsche model on the market. These cars would slot right in with the 918 Spyder and Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid that are already on the market for consumers to enjoy.
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3. The More Things Change....
Porsche has always been ahead of its time, starting with their famous air-cooled engines; a motor that enthusiasts around the world fell in love with way back when. In 1998, Porsche made the move to water-cooled engines, which didn't sit well with fans at first, but they all grew to love the new engines. The same goes for the turbocharged motors that Porsche introduced in an attempt to become more efficient, and even though enthusiasts complained at first, they grew to love the hissing sound and the new performance that came with it. Years later, today, there are talks about the hybrid 911. The enthusiasts aren't necessarily happy about this move, claiming it ruins the true essence of the car, but as per Porsche's reputation, we are almost sure they will exceed all expectations and continue to make their fans happy.
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4. Will We See a 911 Hybrid?
Technology is advancing at a rapid pace, and there is no possible way to tell the future; however, as of right now, Porsche put the idea of a 911 hybrid in the drawer. With the technology available today, the move to a hybrid platform would've added up to several hundred pounds to the car. The weight increase would've negatively affected the performance in various ways, thus sacrificing the very essence of the legendary 911. After this decision, Porsche has shifted its focus on making the current 911 more efficient, and normal fuel engines will continue on.
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5. Never Say Never
Although the plans of a hybrid 911 are postponed until further notice, Porsche is much closer to a hybrid than we may think. Depending on the size of the battery and the electronic system, the rear seat may be sacrificed, which is one of the main concerns that Porsche has at the moment because without a rear-seat, it won't be a 911. Porsche has already experimented with a 911 hybrid race car years ago. The 911 GT3R hybrid had a 60 kW motor attached to each front wheel, and instead of storing the energy in a battery, Porsche used a carbon-fiber flywheel. This was some of the most advanced technology; however, there have to be some changes done before we see flywheels in production vehicles, rather than race vehicles, simply because they are large, and they don't have the same energy capacity as a lithium-ion battery.
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