First-ever electrified Porsche 911 revealed

T-Hybrid Carrera GTS combines 1.9kWh battery with new turbocharged flat-six for 541hp and 194mph potential

By Matt Bird / Tuesday, 28 May 2024 / Loading comments

Big changes tend to come every few years for the Porsche 911. There was electric power steering for the 991, turbo Carreras for its subsequent facelift, and then the major interior overhaul for the 992. Now comes another big one in the 61-year story of Porsche’s icon: the hybrid 911.

This isn’t a plug-in Carrera, however, the new 911 GTS getting a hybrid setup comprising an electrically turbocharged 3.6-litre flat six with a 1.9kWh battery. There isn’t any EV range, or plug, or a drastically different set of driving modes here; as expected, the T-Hybrid - get used to hearing that a lot - is a toe in the shallow end of electrified 911s rather than a deep dive. Porsche’s logic is that this approach ‘achieves highly dynamic driving characteristics while at the same time reducing CO2 emissions with significantly less weight compared to plug-in hybrid vehicles.’ An electric turbo will offer instant boost (as well as serve up 15hp as a generator), and it’s sufficiently powerful for one turbo to be used this time around rather than two as before.

The permanent magnet synchronous motor is an integral part of a new eight-speed PDK (meaning no manual GTS), providing up to 54hp and 111lb ft from idle. Both the electric motor for the turbo and the gearbox-mounted unit are supplied by a 1.9kWh battery that operates at 400V; Porsche being Porsche, that’s said to be comparable in size and weight to a standard 12-volt starter battery (the entire hybridisation adds just 50kg). It supplies a new PDCC electro-hydraulic anti-roll system, as well as the air con, meaning there’s no need to drive either off the engine - and gains the physical space under the hood now used by a pulse inverter and DC-DC converter.

The engine itself for the T-Hybrid is an evolution of the existing 3.0-litre turbo flat-six, albeit bored out to 97mm (from 91mm previously) and employing an 81mm stroke (where it used to be 76.4mm). It will be launched as a direct replacement for the Carrera GTS; even without electrical assistance, the engine is rated at 485hp (i.e. more powerful than the existing model), rising to 541hp with electric motor boost. In conjunction with 450lb ft, the T-Hybrid fires a two-wheel drive GTS to 62mph in just 3.0 seconds, with 194mph said to be possible. Presumably a C4 GTS will accelerate even more briskly. The full roster of GTS models will be rolled out from the start of the hybrid era, with rear-drive and AWD coupes and cabs (plus a Targa 4). PASM that’s 10mm lower than stock is fitted for ‘characteristic GTS handling’, as is a model-specific sports exhaust, and rear-wheel steer is standard for the first time. CO2 for the T-Hybrid range is 239g/km to 251g/km.

While the focus is inevitably on the new GTS, the regular Carrera has also been refreshed as part of the 992.2 revamp. (Although as yet, there is no Carrera S.) The entry point to the 992 range now benefits from the old GTS turbos and an intercooler from the Turbo for 394hp and 332lb ft, up from 370hp (and the same torque) before. There are teeny tiny improvements to acceleration and top speed (a tenth of a second and a kilometre per hour), but when that means a Sport Chrono’d Carrera can reach 62mph in less than four seconds, perhaps there doesn’t even need to be a Carrera S.

Though recognisably still a 911, the latest 992 features model-specific designs to separate the Carrera from hybrid-only GTS. Those cars with T-Hybrid power get a unique front end with five vertical cooling flaps; they benefit aero when power requirements are low, or open when needed (on track, say) to supply the rads, working alongside adaptive diffusers underneath. Standard matrix LEDs for every model mean all functions can now be in the headlight, freeing up space below for larger vents. The redesigned rear light bar is said to make the 992 rump look deeper and wider. It physically isn’t, however - thank goodness. There’ll be a GTS aero kit for even more impact, too.

The interior has been revamped, with the 911 now sold as standard as a two-seater, which is interesting (the 2+2 is available as a no cost option). The analogue rev counter has finally been sacrificed, the 12.6-inch instrument cluster now entirely digital; that means further integrated Apple CarPlay can even take over the dash if desired, and is actually sufficiently integrated into PCM to allow using apps like Apple Music without a phone in the car. Not that anyone goes anywhere without their phone, obviously, but that feels like a fairly significant feature. A ‘Classic’ design for the digital dash will be offered for the traditional five dial layout.

“We developed and tested a wide variety of ideas and approaches to arrive at the hybrid system that would suit the 911 perfectly. The result is a unique drive that fits into the overall concept of the 911 and significantly enhances its performance,” says Frank Moser, VP of the 911 and 718 model lines. And the 992 was hardly struggling for performance before.

Not the usual mid-life update, then. Orders are open for both the Carrera and T-Hybrid GTS now, with the cars due in summer and late 2024 respectively. The 992 is now unavoidably a £100,000 car, the Carrera kicking off at £99,800; the hybrid range starts at £132,600 for the coupe, meaning something like the Targa will surely be nudging £150k with a couple of options. All additional details and a first drive coming very soon!