Porsche Prepares To Unleash Multiple 911 Plug-In Hybrids

The range-topping Porsche 911 hybrid could deliver performance on par with the flagship 911 Turbo.

For the first time in the model’s history, a plug-in hybrid will form part of the Porsche 911 lineup in the next-generation 992 range. Company boss Oliver Blume has previously hinted it will be the most powerful 911 ever, and now a new report by AutoExpress suggests there will be not one, but two plug-in hybrid 911s in the pipeline. A company insider told the UK publication that one will sit at the top of the range alongside the flagship 911 Turbo, while the standard 911 plug-in hybrid will be a mid-range model positioned above the Carrera.

Details are hazy, but the source claims the tech powering the hybrid 911 will be similar to the new Cayenne E-Hybrid, which produces a combined 455 hp and 516 lb-ft in the V6 model. In the flat-six 911, the powertrain will be tuned to “produce more sporting responses and sounds” and will be linked to a dual-clutch PDK gearbox. According to AutoExpress, the plug-in hybrid could also use all-wheel drive to improve traction and handling flexibility. 0-62 mph is said to take less than four seconds in the base 911 hybrid, while top speed should exceed 180 mph. As for the other model, Porsche wants a more powerful 911 plug-in hybrid to sit alongside the Turbo and Turbo S.

Purists may bemoan the idea of a 911 plug-in hybrid, but the source assured that enthusiasts won’t be left out since the hardcore GT3, GT3 RS and GT2 RS models won’t be electrified for the foreseeable future. Porsche CEO Oliver Blume previously confirmed the hybrid 911 won’t arrive until the next-generation model's mid-cycle refresh as the company is waiting for the technology to evolve. At the time, Blume suggested it could have as much as 700 horsepower on tap, so it sounds like the range-topping 911 plug-in hybrid will arrive first. Before then, Porsche’s first fully electric car, the Mission E, is slated to arrive next year to take on the Tesla Model S.

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Porsche 911 Plug-In Hybrid Could Pack Nearly 500-HP

The performance of the first ever Porsche 911 PHEV sounds promising.

Next year, Porsche will launch the next-generation 911, codenamed the 992. And it came to the surprise of absolutely no one that it will be electrified a few years later with the launch of a plug-in hybrid version for the first time in the model’s history. Since the new model is now only a year away, we’ll have to wait a few more years for the first Porsche 911 plug-in hybrid to arrive “as soon as there is a market for it, which analysts say will be around 2023” according to Porsche CEO Oliver Blume in a recent interview with Automobile Magazine.

According to the report, the 911 plug-in hybrid will utilize a familiar 3.0-liter flat-six with a 94-hp electric motor capable of producing 229 lb-ft of instant torque. Battery capacity is claimed to be 10.8 kWh, providing an estimated electric range of more than 40 miles. This hybrid setup will reportedly produce 485 hp and 561 lb-ft of torque, allowing the eco-friendly 911 to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 3.5 seconds and go on to a top speed of 197 mph. This is still a Porsche 911 after all, so performance is paramount if the hybrid sports car is to be worthy of the 911 name. Still, those are some impressive figures considering the extra weight it will be carrying.

While other PHEVs focus on all-electric driving ranges, the semi-electric 911 hybrid is “more about torque vectoring and mid-range grunt.” As such, it will reportedly feature on-demand all-wheel drive, a button-activated 20-second torque boost, and lift-off coasting in eco-mode to save fuel. Meanwhile, the Turbo S version of the 992 generation is said to gain an extra 40 hp, bringing the total output to 620 hp. This could also increase when the mid-cycle refresh of the 992 arrives in around 2022. Sadly, the 992 GT3 is expected to lose its naturally aspirated 4.0-liter engine in favor of a twin-turbo 3.8-liter flat six. The good news, however, is that it will have a 10 percent power increase, delivering 550 hp.

The flat-six engines powering the 992 are expected to feature a mild hybrid 48V setup bringing an extra 20 hp and 52 lb-ft. Engineers are also developing a new eight-speed PDK to cope with the extra power and torque. Expect to see the new 992 Porsche debut at the Paris Motor Show in October with the reveal of the Carrera 2S and 4S coupes before first customer deliveries start in February 2019.

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Plug-In Hybrids May Be Screwed By New European Emission Rules

Isn't the point of a plug-in hybrid to be better on emissions and fuel economy?

The whole point of a plug-in hybrid vehicle is to offer electric assist in order to reduce fuel consumption and overall emissions output. So why has Europe halted the sale of plug-in models for not passing emissions regulations?

As we've reported, Europe has recently switched to new emissions regulations called the Worldwide harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP). These regulations are far more stringent than the previous guidelines and have already forced Volkswagen to stop selling the Golf GTI and limit the power output of the Golf R. Now, Automotive News Europe reports that the WLTP rules are impacting plug-in hybrids as well.

BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volkswagen, and others have already been forced to halt sales of their plug-in hybrid models including the Passat and Golf GTE and Panamera and Cayenne Hybrids. Interestingly, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV meets the new WLTP standards.

The issue here is that the WLTP tests plug-in hybrids differently than the old rules. The new test has effectively lowered the battery range ratings on plug-ins, which has, in turn, raised the CO2 emissions to over 50 grams per kilometer. If a car is rated at over 50 grams per kilometer, it loses its tax benefits as an ultra-low-emissions vehicle and can no longer be sold with a nice discount.

In most cases, automakers will have to equip their PHEV models with bigger batteries to pass the tests. A VW spokesperson said, "there is a bottleneck with the testing and we have to get priority for highest-volume models." Porsche has similarly pulled sales of its PHEV models and said it "will not start taking orders again until the cars are being built, the timing of which has not yet been confirmed."

This is very bad news for Porsche considering the plug-in hybrid makes up around 69% of Panamera sales in Europe.

It seems as though these new emission regulations should have been more carefully planned out because they have already had a devastating effect on the European auto industry.

View the original article here

Plug-In Hybrids May Be Screwed By New European Emission Rules

Isn't the point of a plug-in hybrid to be better on emissions and fuel economy?

The whole point of a plug-in hybrid vehicle is to offer electric assist in order to reduce fuel consumption and overall emissions output. So why has Europe halted the sale of plug-in models for not passing emissions regulations?

As we've reported, Europe has recently switched to new emissions regulations called the Worldwide harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP). These regulations are far more stringent than the previous guidelines and have already forced Volkswagen to stop selling the Golf GTI and limit the power output of the Golf R. Now, Automotive News Europe reports that the WLTP rules are impacting plug-in hybrids as well.

BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volkswagen, and others have already been forced to halt sales of their plug-in hybrid models including the Passat and Golf GTE and Panamera and Cayenne Hybrids. Interestingly, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV meets the new WLTP standards.

The issue here is that the WLTP tests plug-in hybrids differently than the old rules. The new test has effectively lowered the battery range ratings on plug-ins, which has, in turn, raised the CO2 emissions to over 50 grams per kilometer. If a car is rated at over 50 grams per kilometer, it loses its tax benefits as an ultra-low-emissions vehicle and can no longer be sold with a nice discount.

In most cases, automakers will have to equip their PHEV models with bigger batteries to pass the tests. A VW spokesperson said, "there is a bottleneck with the testing and we have to get priority for highest-volume models." Porsche has similarly pulled sales of its PHEV models and said it "will not start taking orders again until the cars are being built, the timing of which has not yet been confirmed."

This is very bad news for Porsche considering the plug-in hybrid makes up around 69% of Panamera sales in Europe.

It seems as though these new emission regulations should have been more carefully planned out because they have already had a devastating effect on the European auto industry.

View the original article here