The inevitable electrification of the Porsche 911 has haunted its diehard fans for many years; after all, it would be the biggest change for the universally revered sports car in its nearly six-decade-long history. Till now, we have only heard rumors and seen spy shots of the alleged electrified 911, with very little concrete information on the actual car, including when it goes on sale. In an interview with CAR magazine in late 2022, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume confirmed that the company is working to add a “very sporty hybridization to the 911.” With the revised Porsche 911 set to make its debut early next summer as a 2025 model, we finally have some more interesting details on the hybridized version of the legendary rear-engine sports car.
The Porsche 911 will not be a plug-in hybrid
According to a Car and Driver report, the upcoming hybrid Porsche 911 won’t be a PHEV (plug-in hybrid vehicle), unlike the Ferrari 296GTB and the McLaren Artura, which are plug-in hybrids. What that means is the electrified 911 will only be charged on the fly and can’t be plugged in. The new T-HEV hybrid system powering the sports car is allegedly being jointly developed by Rimac, which is quite possible as Porsche holds a 45 percent minority interest in Croatian electric hypercar manufacturer.
The report further states that the hybrid system will feature a high-performance Varta battery with a capacity of around 2.0 kWh. The use of a tiny battery will help keep the overall weight of the sports car in check, which is crucial if Porsche wants to preserve the 911’s legendary handling. Additionally, the system’s 400-volt architecture will be controlled by software inspired by the KERS technology used in F1 for fast charging and discharging. The battery will feed a small electric motor capable of generating around 80 to 90 horsepower. The whole T-HEV module reportedly will be extremely compact and lightweight and it will weigh no more than 55 pounds.
There will be multiple hybrid Porsche 911 variants
Instead of introducing a single hybrid 911 into the line-up, Porsche is allegedly working on multiple variants that’ll benefit from the highly complex T-HEV system. The most affordable version might feature a modified twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-six capable of producing 395 hp and 347 pound-feet of torque. The electric motor will add another 84 hp and 129 pound-feet of torque to the sports car, taking the combined output to around 478 hp and 475 pound-feet of torque.
However, there will also be a more powerful version that will sit between the next-generation 911 GTS and the next 911 Turbo, which will reportedly have 528 hp on tap. But that’s not all! The top-of-the-line GT2 RS will make a return in 2026 and also feature a hybrid setup capable of churning out more than 800 horsepower. That’s going to be one beast of a machine!
When will Porsche launch the hybrid 911 model?
While the updated Porsche 911, which will be designated the 992.2, is expected to make its debut within the next six months, the hybrid 911s won’t come out anytime sooner than 2025. Back in September, Porsche vice president Frank Moser told Motor Trend that the hybrid 911 will arrive “in the middle of the decade.” What that means is the gas models of the 992.2 generation will start rolling out before the hybrid versions. We also don’t know the sequence in which the hybrid models will be launched. Usually, the German manufacturer launches its models in a staggered manner, with the more powerful versions introduced later. However, Porsche has officially not made any announcements as of yet. But what we know is an all-electric 911 is not happening in this decade.
