Can We Expect More Porsche Models To Pack An E-Turbo?

The PDK and the E-Turbo synergy

So, about the eight-speed PDK transmission in the 2025 911 Carrera GTS... Porsche got clever here. Instead of the usual two shafts for the gears, the carmaker crammed them onto four. This makes the whole setup more compact, freeing up space to squeeze in that e-motor right between the new 3.6-liter flat-six and the gearbox. It’s a tight fit, but hey, it works!

This e-motor packs 54 horsepower and 110 pound-feet of torque, and a dinky 1.9 kWh battery pack powers it. Now, there’s no clutch between it and the engine, so you won’t be cruising around in electric-only mode. But that’s okay because it kicks in right when you need it most - at low revs, when the turbocharger isn’t at its peak boost. And while Porsche hasn’t officially confirmed it, you can bet this hybrid setup is also going to help you save a few bucks at the pump.

However, this isn’t it. Instead of twin turbos, the new 911 GTS rocks a single, beefier turbo with a little electric motor sidekick. This 27-horsepower motor spins up the turbo instantly, slashing turbo lag from a yawn-inducing three seconds to less than a second! It’s a game-changer.

And this turbo isn’t just about going faster; it’s also smarter. No more wasteful wastegate; the e-motor doubles as a generator at high revs’ keeping the turbo in check and even sending some power back to the battery. It’s a win-win: more power, less lag, and extra juice for your hybrid system. You have to give it to Porsche’s engineers.

Limitations of the E-Turbo technology

The whole "T-Hybrid" technology is very innovative and comes with many benefits. However, it’s not without its limitations. One key challenge is the electric turbocharger itself. The motors used inside these innovative turbochargers are smaller and less potent than those used in full hybrid or electric vehicles. This means they might struggle to provide sufficient boost at very low RPMs, which could translate to hesitant low-speed driving, especially in heavy traffic situations.

Additionally, electric turbocharger technology is complex, which means it’s expensive to make compared to standard turbochargers. This brings us to the next limitation: unreliability. Hybrid technology is as complex as it gets, mixing both ICE and electric motor(s). With more innovative technology like the e-turbo, reliability is questionable in the long run.

Is the future of the T-Hybrid powertrain looking bright?

For the most part, the whole e-turbo situation seems to have a future in Porsche’s pure-I.C.E. vehicle category. The Cayenne and the Panamera are the only models apart from the 911, which are available with both pure I.C.E. and hybrid powertrains. We would’ve loved to witness this technology passing down to the future 718 Cayman/Boxster, but unfortunately, Porsche is going all-electric with the upcoming sportscar.

However, it won’t be easy to slap on a big electrified turbo on the existing V6 and V8 engines of both the Cayenne and the Panamera. The engine bay needs to be rearranged a bit to include the turbocharger, as the existing hot-vee configuration wouldn’t work. So, as you can tell, Porsche has to work pretty hard to go to that extent of installing the e-turbo system. As for the gearbox, the Panamera and Cayenne utilize an eight-speed torque converter gearbox from ZF, and it happily accommodates a strong e-motor seen with the E-Hybrid (PHEV) models.