Porsche boss says to forget about the hypercar without batteries.
In speaking with Top Gear, Porsche R&D boss Wolfgang Hatz has revealed that the 918 Spyder will never come with conventional power. There will not be a 918 Spyder Clubsport or RS model. Why? Hatz claims there is no need for it. The supercar's hybrid systems are in fact integral to the car's performance. Without hybrid support, says Hatz, the 918 Spyder would be five seconds slower around the Nurburgring even though the electric motors, battery cells and associated tech weigh in at a hefty 341 kg.
Over the next decade, Porsche will focus on plug-in hybrid tech as it "offers the best synthesis between performance and sustainability." All-electric powertrains will come once the range and efficiency of the battery has been significantly improved. And that, the man responsible for the carmaker's R&D says, is still some way off.
Switching careers after a few years in finance with a Mathematics and Philosophy degree under his belt, Adam worked for various publishing houses and established his own English editing company. He then spent almost a decade covering the automotive industry as Managing Editor and most recently Editor-in-Chief, specializing in breaking news coverage, in-depth car reviews and opeds. A member of the Automotive Press Association and International Motor Press Association, he will occasionally leave the office to attend a car show or drive something exotic.
Join The Discussion