Creating plug-in hybrids of the most popular car is becoming more of a necessity than a luxury due to emission regulations. Porsche is mulling over the idea to create one such for their next gen 911 and it sounds promising.

According to the latest update, Porsche 911 plug-in hybrid is indeed coming. The company spent a long time in discussing whether such a model is really essential for the crowd. But, with increasing fuel costs and emission issues, it seemed like a fair choice to make and Porsche did it without second thoughts. The next gen version of the 911 and the 911 Turbo is coming, but it is going to be a really long wait as the manufacturer is looking at a 2020 launch.

The model is powered by a rear mounted engine which poses a design challenge to the team. If they are to offer more mileage, they have to add a powerful battery to it. It is equally important to keep the overall weight as low as possible to favor better aerodynamics, fuel efficiency and control at top speeds. Talking about the launch, the Porsche boss said, “It might take some time because there are packaging issues with a plug-in hybrid and we are addressing it at the moment”.

The next gen version of the Porsche 911 and 911 Turbo will heavily rely on carbon fiber components. They cater to their requirements without increasing the weight of the car. But, at the same time, the team which is building the car added that it is not possible to use the component for every aspect of the vehicle. This leads to the issue of mounting a heavy battery to make it in to a long range, hybrid car.

Even though, the brand is going to adopt a hybrid version for its next gen upgrade, they are going to use the same flat six engine system. It has already been used in the earlier 911 versions and there will be no major change to it. Another business decision they have to make is with regard to the manual transmission system.

Out of the orders placed around the globe, only 15% of buyers want a manual gearbox. Porsche has no plans to quit making cars with an actual gear because they see it as an iconic add-on to the lineup and will not be ditching it any time soon. It’s the USP for their cars, commented Erhard Mossle, Porsche’s engineering head.