Porsche Australia’s boss has stressed the importance of the marque’s hybrid and plug-in hybrid technologies, particularly in keeping petrol-fired performance cars alive longer term.
Speaking with media at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, managing director and CEO for Porsche Cars Australia, Daniel Schmollinger, said “hybrid technology for us is very important”.
“We see a lot of interest in these cars. We also see from a use case point of view that a lot of [our E-Hybrid] customers are actually driving mostly electric, which I think is a very good thing because it prepares and helps the transition into full-electric in a very positive way” Mr Schmollinger continued.
That’s in contrast with Ferrari, which has said its PHEV owners don’t regularly plug in their cars to charge. General Motors’ CEO has also claimed most PHEV owners don’t charge their cars.
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Asked if E-Hybrid technology might one day be introduced to the iconic 911 sports car to preserve combustion-engined performance models, Porsche’s local boss said “we don’t know”.
“Will a 911 ever be [a plug-in] so that you can actually drive electric? That is something at this point in time that is not the case. What the future will bring, we don’t know.”
“But I think [the 911 T-Hybrid] is well positioned as it is, with a petrol engine supported with electric technology. I think we are doing very well in this way,” Mr Schmollinger added.
Porsche Australia debuted the new 911 Turbo S alongside the all-new fourth-generation Cayenne Turbo Electric at the Melbourne Grand Prix, the former utilising the brand’s new ‘T-Hybrid’ technology.
While unable to drive in zero-emissions ‘EV’ mode like Porsche’s ‘E-Hybrid’ PHEVs, the 911 Turbo S makes a whopping 523kW/800Nm from its 3.6-litre flat six, which is augmented by a pair of 400V ‘eTurbos’ fed by a 1.9kWh battery – it’s the most powerful Porsche 911 road car, ever.
Meanwhile, the new Cayenne Turbo Electric is the most powerful street-legal Porsche production model ever. With dual electric motors outputting a monstrous 850kW/1500Nm, the flagship Cayenne EV is as quick from 0-100km/h as the new 911 Turbo S – both claiming a 2.5-second sprint.
Elsewhere in the lineup, the third-generation Cayenne (which will continue to be sold alongside the all-new EV version) as well as the Panamera flagship luxury liftback and wagon are Porsche’s nameplates that offer plug-in E-Hybrid drivetrains.
Utilising VW Group technology shared with other makes and models within the German giant’s stable, the Cayenne E-Hybrid and Panamera E-Hybrid ranges offer full-EV capability for limited distances, roughly 80-90km depending on model.
There could be a new, third Porsche PHEV on the way, too.
Last year, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume confirmed on an investor call the German marque would “hedge” its EV strategy by “developing a compact SUV with both ICE and hybrid versions” to complement the Macan Electric.
He said the company is “speeding up the process there with very short development times”, and expected the new mid-size SUV to be launched into major markets “no later than 2028”.
Naturally, with the petrol Macan replacement just receiving the green light, Mr Blume didn’t give too much away about the vehicle, but he said it would be “very, very typical Porsche for this segment and also differentiated from the BEV Macan”, leading some to speculate the new SUV will have a different name.
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