According to a report from Top Gear, iconic German automaker Porsche has announced that they will produce their perennial sports car as a hybrid vehicle this year, with four other new releases to follow.
The 992 Hybrid
It’s farewell to this version of the automaker’s famous 911 as we’ve known it all these years. As Top Gear reports, Porsche has always planned on turning the 992 into a hybrid since they designed it with more space than the 991, so it’s a prime candidate for battery storage. Additionally, the Porsche 992’s eight-speed gearbox is compatible with an e-motor.
The current Porsche 911 Carrera 992 has 3.0, 3.7, and 4.0-liter flat-six powertrain displacements. Since the automaker has already found success with the 729 horsepower Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid, which is their most powerful Cayenne ever, it’s easy to imagine the 992’s flat-six powertrains getting some serious boost from their impending hybridization.
According to a report from Porsche’s newsroom, “The next big step in 2024 is just around the corner, as Porsche has developed an ultra-sporty hybrid – as seen in racing – for selected derivatives of the 911 model line.” In their report, Frank Moser, who oversees production for the 718 and 911 models, said, “The high-performance hybrid seamlessly continues innovative development of the 911 drive. This benefits the driver whenever they’re accelerating. We, therefore, have a technology that will prepare us for future emission standards.”
Meanwhile, a report from Motor Trend alleges that Porsche’s new 992 hybrid will buck the trend of their previous hybrids because it will not be a plug-in model, which will allow for reducing the vehicle’s overall weight and give it a more compact body style. Motor Trend also alleges that the hybrid 992 will incorporate a 48-volt starter motor with the car’s dual-clutch transmission, adding to what Top Gear pointed out in their report.
The report from Motor Trend adds that the 992 will have all-wheel drive, with the electric motor sending power to the car’s front wheels. They also speculate that this electric motor will get power from a lithium-ion battery pack that Porsche will put behind the car’s front seats. While Motor Trend’s report did not mention specifics about the 992’s various trim levels, they did say that an output of 700 horsepower could be possible. They also cite a possible summer reveal for the 992 hybrid.