(CTN News) – Porsche unveiled the first hybrid version of its iconic sports car, the 911, on Tuesday, signaling a significant step towards greater acceptance of electric motors in high-performance vehicles.
This move represents a major evolution for one of the world’s most recognizable cars.
Hybrids have become increasingly common in various vehicle types due to their improved fuel efficiency without compromising power. They have gained popularity in the United States, even as sales of purely electric models have begun to plateau.
Porsche Expansion into Hybrid Technology
Porsche, the German automaker and a division of Volkswagen AG, already offers plug-in hybrid models such as the Cayenne e-Hybrid SUV and Panamera e-Hybrid four-door car, but introducing a hybrid 911 is a distinct advancement.
Initially, hybrid power will be available in a single version of the car: the high-performance 911 Carrera GTS. The new 911 model integrates an electric motor into its eight-speed transmission, supporting the car’s six-cylinder gas engine.
This configuration enables the car to produce up to 532 horsepower, which is 59 more than the current Carrera GTS model.
Few cars are as synonymous with a gasoline engine as the Porsche 911, and few automakers are as closely identified with a single model as Porsche is with the 911. Despite Porsche’s current focus on selling more SUVs than sports cars, the 911 remains the cornerstone of the brand.
Even the rounded edges and sloped hoods of the Porsche Macan and Cayenne SUVs pay homage to the design of the 911.
In a significant departure for Porsche, the new 911 Carrera GTS hybrid will not be a plug-in hybrid like other Porsche hybrid models.
Hybrid and Electric Offerings
Models such as the Cayenne e-Hybrid and Panamera e-Hybrid feature plug-in capabilities, allowing them to be charged from an EV charger or their own engine, and can travel significant distances on electric power alone once fully charged.
In contrast, the 911 Carrera GTS hybrid will be a self-contained hybrid, powered only by the engine and regenerative braking. It will not be capable of driving long distances on electric power alone.
In addition to hybrids, it also sells fully electric cars like the Taycan and the new Macan Electric SUV.
However, it executives have emphasized that the 911 will be the last model to go fully electric due to its unique engineering and its fundamental importance to the brand.
The engine’s placement at the rear gives the 911 its distinctive shape and rear-weighted driving feel, which are integral to its identity.
The new hybrid model, with its rear-mounted gas engine, represents Porsche’s closest approach to an electric 911 without compromising these essential characteristics.
While electric vehicle sales in the US continue to rise, their growth has recently slowed, attributed to high prices and a lack of reliable public EV chargers. In contrast, hybrid sales are increasing more rapidly, as they are generally less expensive and do not require external chargers.
Despite its advantages, the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS hybrid will come with a hefty price tag, starting at around $165,000.
Performance at the Nürburgring Nordschleife
Porsche test drivers have already demonstrated the hybrid’s capabilities on Germany’s challenging Nürburgring Nordschleife racetrack, completing a lap in 7 minutes and 17 seconds — 8.7 seconds faster than the current-generation 911 Carrera GTS.
This performance underscores that the hybrid’s handling is not compromised by the additional weight of batteries and electric motors.
The introduction of the new hybrid version coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Porsche 911, which was first unveiled in 1963 and went into production in 1964. The 911 was originally an enlarged and more powerful successor to it’s first model, the 356.
Both models featured small rear seats and rear-mounted engines, a layout reminiscent of the Volkswagen Beetle, designed by Ferdinand Porsche Sr., the father of Ferdinand “Ferry” Porsche, who created the 356.
The design of the 911, by Ferry’s son, Ferdinand “Butzi” Porsche, was inspired by the teardrop shape of the 356 and has retained its distinctive form, including its increasingly cramped back seats, since its inception.