Electric Porsche 911: not this generation.

The automotive rumor mill was swirling with talk of an electric 911 yesterday after Porsche sent out a round of teaser images.  Porsche was very quick to explain via press release.

Porsche has been looking to the future of its vehicles.  Just recently we wrote about Porsche doubling down on the future of electric vehicles.  Diesel Porsche’s are dead, electricity will light the way for the company.  The new Mission-E is due next year.

A set of teaser images released Wednesday along with multiple prior quotes from 911 model line director August Achleitner about the future of an electric Porsche caused the rumors to circulate.  Headlines stated the new 911 would be electrically powered.  Purists wanted heads to roll if this was true.  There is no was the forever pure 911 could go electric…

Another statement had to be released.

Look to yesterday, the company ended up releasing a “Don’t Panic” statement.  According to this press release, the 911 isn’t going to be electric quite yet.  -Side note.  I haven’t covered a Porsche press release yet.  However, if all their press releases read like this one did, I can’t wait for the next one.-  The rear-mounted flat six is here to stay, at least for this generation of 911, the 992.

Model line director August Achleitner also makes a point to note “the joy of driving always has to be in the foreground” for Porsche.  He goes on to also make the very direct statement that there will never be a 911 without a steering wheel.  A statement which I can guarantee will appease the hardcore Porsche fan deep down in all of us.

Unpopular opinion of the day.

I think the 911 should at least be a hybrid for the 992 generation.

There I said it.  I want a hybrid 911, hybrid powertrains have been proven to be extremely effective in the hypercar trifecta.  One of which is a Porsche, the 918.  I am very happy a hybrid was not ruled out in the official release, I have my hopes up.

Too often, car people get caught up in the nostalgia of the good old days.  I am by no means immune to this, a ton of my favorite cars are classic European.  To this day, in my opinion, the best car ever made was the Mercedes 300SL Gullwing.  However, to end up with the next future classic, companies have to innovate.

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Porsche should be the first of the supercars to go hybrid with the 911.  We already see this in hypercars with the McLaren P1, Ferrari LaFerrari and as mentioned the 918.  The hybrid systems in these cars have not trickled down to this level yet and Porsche stands to gain an advantage by at least partially electrifying the drive train.

Continuous development is what will keep this legendary nameplate alive, progress and change are almost met with chagrin from old fans.  They will warm up to things.