Electric 911 on way at Porsche

We've already seen a diesel engine in the Cayenne and hybrids are on the way, too – but Porsche fans could be in for an even bigger shock!

A pure electric 911 is part of the manufacturer’s plans as well, according to newly appointed president and chief executive, Michael Macht.

“I am convinced that one day Porsche will have an electric sports car in its line-up,” said Macht. “We are therefore taking the first step in this direction with a full hybrid – in the Cayenne, the Panamera and maybe in the not too distant future, also in a racing car or a production 911.”

And Macht confirmed that current battery technology was the limiting factor to Porsche entering the electric market.

“An electric sports car would only make sense for Porsche if it offers performance and a cruising range similar to that of current sports cars,” he confessed. But he added: “Our engineers are already working hard on this challenge.”

It still leaves Porsche some way behind Audi and BMW, however. They revealed their cutting-edge e-tron and Vision EfficientDynamics concepts at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Both use electric motors to power all four wheels and combine serious performance with reduced CO2 emissions.

There was an electric 911 on display at Frankfurt, but rather than an official model, it was the work of highly respected Porsche tuning firm RUF. Known as the Greenster, the converted 911 Targa features a 362bhp (270Kw) electric motor with 950Nm of torque at the rear, where the flat-six petrol engine would normally sit.

What’s more, RUF claims that, with a 400V electricity supply, the Greenster can be fully charged in only one hour. The tuner is considering a limited production run starting in 2010, years before an official electric 911 is likely to arrive.