The idea of an EV 911 was almost out-ruled earlier this year, with Porsche’s CEO, Oliver Blume, stating that the model would be the last to go electric “if it ever did at all”.
But that hasn't stopped Porsche’s design chief, Michael Mauer, from letting his imagination run wild. While it is unlikely we'd see such a model before 2030, Mauer is already talking about an EV 911 and how it would work.
Blume had stated that the concept of the 911 “doesn’t allow a fully electric car because we have the engine in the rear”. But the rear-engined design doesn't deter Mauer at all. In fact, he says that an electric powertrain gives designers more freedom, and confirms that the iconic silhouette of the 911 is still achievable in EV form.
Porsche's head of design says “purely from a design standpoint, an electric 911 is even easier in the future.”
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What concerns Mauer is the future of combustion engines and their limitations on design. For example, the packaging of the exhaust system and the increasingly strict regulations on emissions. He states that in 10 to 15 years, a rear overhang would need to be “almost two meters” to fit all of the necessary equipment.
In saying this, Mauer believes that differing opinions are an important part of Porsche's culture, and healthy discussion leads to better solutions. His opinion is that the traditional sound of the flat-six engine is not the only thing that determines a car’s character, since styling, handling, and performance are also key features of the 911 experience.
And while Mauer and his team already have a vision for a fully electric 911 in the future, he is somewhat skeptical on when it would land on the market.
“We will see. Maybe with the next generation, we still can do a combustion-engine 911. I don’t know. As a designer, we will find solutions.”
