Although currently Porsche only has a 100% electric model in its range, the Taycan sedan, the German firm aims to have a complete family of battery-powered models in the short term. They plan to launch electric variants of the Macan, Cayenne, Panamera, and 718 Cayman/Boxster for years to come.
These ambitious electrification plans will not only be vital to complying with the new and strict European emissions regulations, but also so as not to lose sales share in an increasingly heightened market for electric cars. Especially in the most luxurious segments. Several studies indicate that brands like Tesla are taking sales away from Porsche in critical markets like the United States and Germany.
Despite everything, the head of research and development of Porsche, Michael Steiner, has stated in a recent interview that the German brand does not consider Tesla a direct rival. This being because the objective of the Americans is to become a firm with high volume sales, a radically different strategy from that of the exclusive Porsche. Regarding the technical differences between the electric models of both brands, Steiner declares the following:
“Tesla employs cylindrical cells, slightly different chemistry, and a different cooling concept, both of which have their specific advantages and disadvantages. In our opinion, the type of high-capacity battery that can be found in a Model S is not ideal in terms of sustainability. We believe in smaller, lighter, and less expensive batteries that can be recharged quickly. It is not our aspiration to be leaders in autonomy.”
Steiner has also confirmed that, together with the new electric models from Porsche, combustion variants will continue to be offered. For example, along with the next electric Macan based on the PPE modular platform, the current thermal Macan will also be sold, possibly receiving a restyling to keep up to date. On the other hand, Steiner declares that for the moment, the development of the SPE platform for electric sports cars is still frozen.