Is the 911 Hybrid Right Around the Corner?

Proof of Existence?

Rumors that a 911 hybrid is in development have persisted for years, and yet, that car has never come to fruition. Porsche has been very upfront about the fact that its iconic model will be the very last one it will electrify, and for good reason - such a machine is sure to upset purists. However, given the current climate in the automotive industry, it seems that a 911 hybrid is imminent, especially after Autocar recently captured some photos of a strange-looking 911 Turbo testing at the Nurburgring.

Photos: Porsche

Telltale Signs

While one could dismiss this prototype as being just about anything, there are a couple of telltale signs that it might be packing a hybrid powertrain. For starters, the rear windows are blacked-out, suggesting that Porsche has something to hide back there, and the car also has a yellow warning sticker, which is mandatory for hybrid vehicles testing in Germany.

Photos: Porsche

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Makes Sense

Porsche confirmed long ago that the 992 911 was developed with hybrid power in mind, so it's really only a matter of time before that happens. And starting with the Turbo makes a ton of sense. Porsche obviously doesn't want to mess with the purist favorite GT3, while the Turbo has always been about chasing ultimate performance by any means necessary. 

Photos: Porsche

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Trickle Down Effect

Meanwhile, Porsche's chief rivals, including McLaren and Ferrari, have been much keener to electrify their own supercars, so Porsche will eventually have to make it happen. Introducing a super-powerful 911 hybrid would be the perfect way to launch this technology, after which it could trickle down to regular 911 models in the coming years.

Photos: Porsche

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Years of Development

This would fall in line with what Porsche has done with turbochargers as well. There was a time when only the Turbo had turbos, but now, even the base Carrera features forced induction. Porsche also has the technology essentially ready after spending years developing its hybrid powertrains in everything from the Cayenne to the Panamera to the 918 Spyder.

Photos: Porsche

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Impressive Power

As such, most expect the 911 hybrid to utilize the same sort of power level as the Panamera S E-Hybrid, which cranks out 690 horsepower and 626 pound-feet of torque. This would obviously make it more powerful than the latest Turbo, albeit with a bit more weight to move around.

Photos: Porsche

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Coming Soon

The only question left to ask then is just when, exactly, might the 911 hybrid launch? Porsche previously said it wouldn't happen before 2030, but that seems a bit far off. In reality, given the way the automotive world is headed, the era of the electrified 911 is much more likely to begin in the next year or two.

Photos: Porsche

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