Porsche Can't Build a 918 Spyder Successor Until Batteries Improve

Porsche has indicated that its next hypercar is at least five years away due to next-generation battery development. It’s been almost a decade since the Porsche 918 Spyder debuted, and the German automaker is exploring what its successor’s powertrain could look like. Since the production of the hybrid hypercar ended in 2015, Porsche now produces its electric four-door Taycan and developed the Mission R electric racing prototype. The manufacturer has also invested in the development of synthetic fuels.

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In an interview with MotorTrend, Porsche executive board member Michael Steiner discussed the current state of the automaker’s battery development program. Steiner said:

“This [then] has to be developed and pushed further so we have at least an idea that we could have some top-model cars within existing car lines with special cells. And when we are good enough in terms of volumetric energy density—really important for supercars—then there might be a chance to show what could be done on the road with, let me say, close to racing [performance]. So I have [a car like that] in mind, we have that in mind, but we need some additional improvement [on the tech side] from our point of view that makes sense.”

Steiner told MotorTrend that Porsche’s next hypercar would be five or six years away when the vehicle’s own development is factored into the equation after the batteries are ready. All that being said, it’s not clear if the 918 Spyder successor will be a hybrid, like its current 963 endurance racer, or an all-electric machine.