Maté Rimac already said it a few months ago to explain the timid reception of his electric supercar, the Rimac Nevera. “Rich people want gasoline cars.” Porsche would have reached the same conclusion and is rethinking its electric car strategy, with the possibility that future electric models of the brand also have versions equipped with gasoline engines.
The news follows Porsche’s latest investor report for the third quarter, in which the German brand notes that demand for electric vehicles had decreased in these months, while “demand for vehicles with conventional and hybrid transmissions increased.”
Electric with hybrid versions
At a recent shareholder conference, Porsche’s CFO, Lutz Meschkeacknowledged that demand for cars with internal combustion engines in the premium and luxury segments is not decreasing, going so far as to suggest that Porsche’s plans to keep that option open to customers go beyond initial expectations.
Porsche had previously announced that it aimed to make 80% of its sales with electric cars in 2030. Last July, the brand recognized that this would no longer be the case. Porsche has the ability to achieve this, but only if there is demand, of course. The problem is that it does not seem that the demand for luxury electric cars is going to skyrocket exponentially in just five years to reach 80% electric sales.
Meschke also pointed out that Porsche has great flexibility in Zuffenhausen to manufacture different types of powertrains in the production line, which makes a mixed range less difficult. A similar approach may be taken in the development of upcoming models.
“In terms of research and development, there will be more flexibility in the coming years,” Meschke said. “We will develop new combustion engine derivatives of electrified cars to provide the appropriate response to customer demand.”
And Meschke added: “We can produce combustion engine, plug-in hybrid and electrified cars on a single production line in Leipzig.”
This does not mean that the new Porsche 718 Cayman y Boxster electrical They are going to have a gasoline hybrid version. The investment and development have already been made, and it is unlikely that a few months after its presentation, things will change.
As for the new 100% electric Macan, it also does not seem likely that Porsche will develop a hybrid version on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) platform shared with Audi.
However, the electrical architecture of that platform was used by the Volkswagen Group to create the platform Premium Platform Combustion (PPC)which is adapted to receive gasoline engines and thus create hybrids. In the event that sales of the electric Macan turn out to be much lower than expected, they may consider developing a gasoline model on the PPC architecture.
Another vehicle that Porsche conceived as electric, but that the brand could reconsider providing with a plug-in hybrid version is the SUV K1scheduled for 2028. The likely timeline and dimensions of the three-row K1, a larger model than the Cayenne, suggest it has a better chance of adapting to hybrid propulsion.
On the other hand, from Meschke’s statements it could be interpreted that the future Cayenne and Panamera could continue with internal combustion engines in the form of PHEV plug-in hybrids well into the next decade.
Source: www.motorpasion.com
