Porsche Won’t Kill ICE Cars
Afraid the new generation of electrified and purely electric vehicles will kill the pleasure of driving ICE-powered cars? Fear not, as Porsche promises it will continue to offer classic sports cars with conventional engines.
“There will be a triad: plug-in hybrids, emotional sports cars with combustion engines, and sporty electric vehicles,” Oliver Blume, CEO of the Stuttgart-based manufacturer, told Automotive News at the brand’s museum during the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the 356, the marque’s first production vehicle. “There will always be demand for intelligent sporty mobility. At Porsche, the driving experience will always be at the forefront, but in a traffic jam or when you park a car the driver might want to hand over control of the vehicle.”
Porsche is currently the most profitable brand in the Volkswagen Group portfolio and the trend seems to continue in the era of new electrified vehicles. The Panamera Turbo S E-hybrid sells like hot cakes, accounting for more than 60 percent of the total Panamera sales in Europe. Porsche is even struggling with limited battery supplies and currently has a waiting list of three to four months.
The automaker is really serious about its plans for electrified models and even the iconic 911 is going to receive electric boost in its next generation. This will happen during the life cycle of the next generation (992) model, probably around 2023. The 911 PHEV will combine a 3.0-liter turbocharged gas engine with an electric motor for a combined output of 485 horsepower (362 kilowatts) and 561 pound-feet (761 Newton-meters). Thanks to a 10.8-kWh battery pack, the sports car will be able to travel for more than 40 miles (64 kilometers) on purely electric energy.
“We have everything it takes for the next 70 years,” Blume also said. “The future of Porsche also hinges on the success” of the Mission E electric car.
Source: Automotive News