All those rumors surrounding a hybrid version for the next-generation Porsche 911 took a huge step in the direction of reality now that someone in the heart of the 911 Turbo’s development has come out and said that a plug-in version of the 911 is already being worked on over at Stuttgart. While that isn’t the purest way to outright confirm the reality of a 911 hybrid, it is the closest thing to a confirmation coming from someone inside Porsche.
Erhard Mössle, the engineering boss for the 911 Turbo, Carrera 4, and 911 Targa, disclosed to Car and Driver some pretty interesting details about the project at the 2016 North American International Auto Show. In the conversation, Mössle admitted that the company is working on different plug-in solutions for the 911. He didn’t dive into the specifics on how much progress the company has made, but he did say that if a hybrid 911 does become a reality, it’s not going to happen until the next-generation version of the iconic nameplate arrives.
One of the biggest challenges that Porsche is having right now is the packaging of the next-generation 911, especially now that it might have to accommodate a battery pack. In fact, Mössle didn’t mince any words saying that this new wrinkle to the 911 is one of the most important boxes on the checklist in the engineering of the car. It would make sense considering that Porsche has yet to venture down this path with the 911. Things like the size and weight of the battery pack will have to be accounted for, not to mention the company’s continuing commitment to keeping six-cylinder engines at the heart of the sports car.
The good news is that Porsche doesn’t have to rush into addressing all these concerns. The next-generation 911 isn’t expected to arrive until around 2020, which would give the company enough time to work out all the development details and possible kinks that come with the development of a hybrid engine for the company’s most iconic nameplate.
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