Porsche's Unbridled Excitement for EVs Continues to Swell

Matt Posky
by Matt Posky

Porsche, the iconic performance nameplate diving ever deeper into luxury and electrification, once again finds itself incapable of withholding its excitement toward both. Company board member Detlev von Platen claims Porsche is seriously considering increasing the production capacity of its upcoming Mission E model beyond 20,000 annual units and electrifying the Macan crossover.

According to von Platen, initial customer inquiries into the Mission E has been so strong that the brand wants to make sure it can meet demand. Buying habits also give the automaker hope that its customer base is prepared to make the eventual switch from internal combustion to electrically-assisted engines.

“In Europe, around 60 percent of Panamera vehicles were delivered with a hybrid drivetrain,” von Platen said.

That leaves the base model Panamara and performance Turbo variant with the remaining 40 percent. By contrast, hybrid powertrains (both conventional and plug-in) accounted for 2.7 percent of the total U.S. automotive market in 2016, down from a 3.2-percent high in 2013. Granted, premium automakers have an easier time pushing electrification than their mainstream counterparts, but it remains a niche category. It could be argued that the Panamara’s success isn’t heavily dependent upon its status as an electric vehicle. It may just be that it’s the mid-tier trim and likely to be the most desirable option for more affluent clientele.

That said, Porsche is steadfast in its belief that customers won’t abandon their electro-chic mindset anytime soon. The company plans to double its investment in hybrid and fully electric vehicles to more than 6 billion euros ($7.35 billion) by 2022. It’s also currently involved in a joint venture with Audi, BMW Group, Daimler AG, and Ford to improve Europe’s EV charging network. The group wants to construct and operate 400 powerful rapid charging stations along the major European traffic routes by 2020.

Meanwhile, the Mission E should enter into production sometime next year — possibly in overdrive.

[Source: Reuters] [Image: Porsche]

Matt Posky
Matt Posky

A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.

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  • Redapple Redapple on Feb 12, 2018

    Suck it tesla

  • Arthurk45 Arthurk45 on Feb 12, 2018

    And if this isn't bad enough, when the Porsche hits the showrooms, it will have its $7500 tax credit and none of the Tesla vehicles will have any tax credit.

    • See 1 previous
    • Chuckrs Chuckrs on Feb 13, 2018

      @mcs Plus they'll give you a special discount on having the HVAC vent vanes leather wrapped.

  • EBFlex China can F right off.
  • MrIcky And tbh, this is why I don't mind a little subsidization of our battery industry. If the American or at least free trade companies don't get some sort of good start, they'll never be able to float long enough to become competitive.
  • SCE to AUX Does the WTO have any teeth? Seems like countries just flail it at each other like a soft rubber stick for internal political purposes.
  • Peter You know we’ve entered the age of self driving vehicles When KIAs go from being stolen to rolling away by themselves.
  • Analoggrotto TTAC is full of drug addicts with short memories. Just beside this article is another very beautiful article about how the EV9 was internationally voted by a renowned board of automotive experts who are no doubt highly educated, wealthy and affluent; the best vehicle in entire world. That's planet earth for you numbskulls. Let me repeat: the best vehicle in the world is the Kia EV9. Voted, and sealed, and if you try to deny it Fanny Willis is ready to prosecute you; but she will send her boyfriend instead because she is busy.
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