Porsche’s former R&D chief, Wolfgang Hatz, confirmed in 2015 that the next-generation 911 would feature a hybrid model, and that knowledge gained from the 918 Spyder and 919 Hybrid racer put Porsche in a good position to develop just such a car.
It turns out Porsche has since dropped plans for the 911 hybrid, at least for the time being.
Speaking with Car and Driver, August Achleitner, who heads development of Porsche’s sports cars, said plans for the 911 hybrid were dropped last year.
Achleitner explained that the 911's proposed hybrid system, which would have been a plug-in hybrid setup, would have added too much weight and negatively affected the dynamic qualities.
He also said the cost of the system would have made the margins too thin to justify the development. Whereas the plug-in hybrid system in the Cayenne and Panamera is a modular design that can be used across multiple Volkswagen Group brands, Porsche would pretty much have had to design a dedicated system for the 911.
Instead, Porsche will focus on further improving efficiency of the 911 using other means.
The next-generation 911, thought to be a 992 series, has been spied. It should go on sale next year, as a 2019 model.
