Porsche admitted this week that its electrification plans might be too ambitious. Automakers selling EVs have seen a slowdown in sales, and many are reconsidering their future product plans. The fourth-generation Cayenne will debut in the second half of the decade as an all-electric vehicle, but the automaker will also continue to offer a third-generation, gasoline-powered model alongside the new one.
Porsche will continue investing in the current-generation Cayenne, including improving its powertrain lineup and making the V-8 engine more efficient to meet future emissions regulations. It’ll also spend money on hybrids, offering the Cayenne with three powertrain choices worldwide through 2030 and beyond.
While Porsche plans to keep the combustion-powered Cayenne around, it’s not completely abandoning its electrification efforts. According to company CEO Oliver Blume, Porsche could deliver more than 80 percent of its new cars as EVs in 2030 if customer demand exists. However, current sales trends suggest the transition to EVs could take longer than expected, which is why Porsche and others are adjusting plans.
The automaker is already putting the electric Cayenne through its paces in real-world testing. The first prototypes have officially left the factory, and they’ll complete a rigorous evaluation program over millions of miles driven between now and the SUV’s launch in a few years. It’ll ride on Porsche’s Premium Platform Electric architecture and likely feature several battery and powertrain configurations.
