Porsche 918 hypercar successor won’t arrive before 2025

KUALA LUMPUR: Porsche’s long-rumored ultra-potent hybrid hypercar has been put on the back burner as the automaker aims to focus on the electrification of its mainstream production model range. The company’s CEO Oliver Blume recently stated that a flagship hypercar is still not dead, but other projects like the development of pure EVs and their related technologies are on priority, as reported by Autocar.

Porsche recently rolled out the practical iteration of its first all-electric Taycan sports car named the Taycan Cross Turismo. Next up will be a fully-electric Porsche Macan sometime in 2022, which will be most probably followed by an all-new 718 Boxster and Cayman.

Along with these, Porsche is indulged in a number of projects, including the development of charging infrastructure with parent company Volkswagen AG, buying an increased stake in Rimac, and beginning the testing of synthetic fuels by 2022.

Speaking about the upcoming hypercar, the original 918 successor will reportedly have an advanced plug-in hybrid drivetrain coupled with a 1.6-litre F1-derived petrol engine. But now the delay in arrival hints at dropping the combustion engine entirely in favour of an all-electric hypercar. As currently the battery technology is not advanced enough to give the optimum balance of weight, efficiency, and range potential to the hypercar, but post-2025, the advanced battery tech, and lightweight advancements should be there for the EV.

Porsche is involved in the making of battery cell technology that includes silicon anodes instead of graphite units. This will enable the battery pack to operate at higher temperatures in a comfortable way, making them suitable for high-performance applications.

Recently, Porsche also announced its plan to enter Le Mans in 2023, which means we could also see a road-going iteration of its hybridized endurance racer. “We will return to Le Mans with a prototype, with which we will be able to win the big classic races like Le Mans, Sebring, and Daytona. Ferrari has already joined in the past few weeks, so it will be a very close, tough competition and we are very happy about it,” Blume told the publication.

Also read: Porsche revealed two luxury electric bikes in Europe