The Porsche Mission E project is a priority over the development of a hybrid version of the 911, despite some earlier rumors, going by comments made recently by Porsche Research & Development head Michael Steiner at the Paris Motor Show.
Apparently, while there is some work being done to implement 918-derived hybrid technology in a 911, there’s actually “no approved model development program for a 911 Hybrid” at the moment.
Steiner stated that, while R&D (for a hybrid 911) does exist, “there is no decision to do this on short notice, but we have this constantly on our radar.”
Instead, a fully electric supercar is getting the spotlight. “We decided we would do the Mission E as our priority one. It’s in serial development.”
By “priority,” what Steiner means is that the company is now investing $782 million into a new assembly facility and paint shop for the car, and hiring 1,400 employees. Here’s more from Steiner:
“The conceptual design of the Mission E once again gives us technically the potential to do more with this platform, and also we think about if the battery electric business will be fast growing and we think that the whole business will change, most probably pretty fast at some trigger point. That should be not the only battery electric car. In general we think what could be a second or third step, and also in terms of the platform of Mission E there is no reason why this has to be only a one body-style platform.
“It looks, at least, like the market potential of a new vehicle with completely electric (drive) is more than for another derivative of the 911.”
Teslarati provides a bit more: “The Mission E demonstrates how even notable German manufacturers with a deep history in building gas-powered cars are realizing that EVs are the way to go. In the meantime, a new 911 is scheduled for 2018, but it is likely if a hybrid is included in the company’s plans, it won’t show up until 2020. Why 2020? That’s when new stringent European emissions rules kick in. 2021 automotive fuel efficiency standards build in reductions of 40% compared with the 2007 fleet average. To encourage eco-innovation, manufacturers will be granted emission credits equivalent to a maximum emissions saving of 7g/km per year for their fleet if they equip vehicles with innovative technologies, based on independently verified data.”
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