Daily Slideshow: Porsche CEO Says There Won't Be a Full EV 911
While this news may be surprising to some concerning the prolific car, what will be the fate of other models in the stable?
Just what we would expect
In a world where electrification is becoming the path to follow with everything from grocery getters to supercars packing battery packs, Porsche is doing something else when it comes to the 911. Via press release the brand let customers know just how it feels the landscape of the future.
Porsche Product Director August Achleitner remarked “We know where we’re from and where we want to go. The decisive factor is that the 911 generates a driving feeling that no other car can impart. With each innovation, the decisive factor for me is whether it suits the character of the 911,” explains Achleitner. “We don’t necessarily have to be the first in this regard with the 911. What’s crucial, rather, is that every innovation be offered in a typical Porsche manifestation.”
It's there if you want it
While Achleitner 's remarks ring true and emphasize how Porsche refuses to lose sight of itself while morphing to fit into a new automotive world, CEO Oliver Blume is the bottom line. While a hybrid 911 will indeed be hitting showrooms, Blume has maintained that the car will not lose the driving experience that has made it so popular to begin with. The reason for the birth of the Mission E is because Porsche wanted to offer a car that would serve the EV desiring consumers while keeping it's other vehicles at a safe distance away from any sort of supercharging stations.
Via Press release
The following is from Porsche's Press release where Oliver Blume speaks about Strategy 2025 and brand identity:
Mr Blume, let’s look into our crystal ball for a moment. When will we see the last Porsche with a combustion engine?
I would venture to predict that, by 2030, the sportiest Porsche will have an electric drive. Who knows – maybe by then even our iconic sports car, the 911, will be electric.
Does this mean that you have already decided to leave behind conventional drive concepts completely?
On the contrary! It would be absurd to think that we could do without the combustion engine completely in the foreseeable future. But, equally, we cannot miss the opportunity to invest heavily in electromobility. Before we leave petrol or diesel behind, the next decade will see an increase in the parallel use of combustion engines and alternative drives. A clear trend is developing, and we will deliver. I am not going to do anything hasty, however.
From combustion to battery
"We are waiting for the further evolution in battery technology so you should not expect a plug-in version in the coming years,” Blume told Auto News. “It’s currently planned when the 992 is refreshed.” However, what cars could we see become fully electric in the coming future? According to Blume, the 718 Cayman and Boxster would be the likeliest candidates for the transition. While he did not go into any details on the matter he did say the brand was “considering’ developing full EV versions of either model. That change from petrol to batteries though wouldn't be coming at anytime soon. “We are not yet at the point where we have to decide how things will progress,” he said.
Mission E vehicles
For those who would like something silent and powerful, there will be the all-electric Mission E and Mission E Cross Turismo that are slated to launch in 2019. The vehicles are generating a ton of buzz because of the modern designs and jaw-dropping performance capabilities. The vehicles will supposedly get 600 horsepower, be capable of 0-60 sprints in 3.5 seconds and have a range of 310 miles. For those who fear running out of necessary juice for their EVs, can drive confidently knowing that there will be a network of charging stations that can fill batteries from empty to over 300 miles of charge in just 15 minutes.
With one foot in the past and the other in the future Porsche looks to be the brand to beat when it comes to tried and true performance for today, tomorrow, and the years coming. "Evolution instead of revolution. Always one step ahead. That is how we have always done it. Renew everything while retaining an irreplaceable identity."
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