Porsche was set to put a plug-in-hybrid version of the next-gen 911 sports car into series production, but we’ve learned the project was killed a while ago—last year, in fact, according to August Achleitner, head of 718 and 911 development. He revealed that fact to Car and Driver today at an event held to celebrate production of the 1,000,000th 911.
The hybrid 911 would have been part of the 992-generation lineup, and we were told that it would have been very efficient at least on paper, thanks to European emissions tests that heavily favor plug-in hybrids.
But it also would have brought compromises—compromises that ultimately rendered it unfit to join the 911 lineup. First, the plug-in hybrid would have been several hundred pounds heavier than a regular 911, which likely would have severe consequences for its dynamic capabilities, and it also would have been so expensive to make that Porsche would not be able to match the profit margin of other versions of the 911.
“In the end, the disadvantages outweighed the advantages,” Achleitner said. We don’t disagree, as a hybrid 911 would be perhaps the least desirable 911 this side of an autonomous one. Instead, Porsche says it will focus on making the regular 911 even more efficient.
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