Porsche Plans To Add Engines To EV-Only Models

Porsche could be looking at adding combustion engines to planned EV-only programs amid a strategy shakeup.

The demand for internal combustion engines remains significant, so significant that Porsche plans to bend its EV-only strategy around what the customer wants. According to Automotive News Europe, the company will continue to invest in gas-powered engines for key models, including the Cayenne and Panamera.

Porsche’s Chief Financial Officer, Lutz Meschke, stated that the automaker is also looking at adding hybrid or combustion-engine variants to models originally designed as electric vehicles. He also confirmed the V8 engine will remain in production into the 2030s.

It's unclear if this means Porsche will look to retrofit combustion powerplants into upcoming EV models based on platforms designed to be electric only—a hilarious twist of irony—which may or may not be possible. Regardless, Porsche is either retrofitting EV platforms at a huge cost or ditching said EV platforms at a huge loss.

Does this mean Porsche is reconsidering the next-generation 718? Set to debut in 2025 as an electric-only model, the new 718 is at an advanced stage of development, making a pivot towards combustion extremely difficult. Then again, the current 718 is still perfectly good, and still perfectly capable of making the company bags of cash.

The Macan, historically one of Porsche’s strongest sellers, has already transitioned to fully electric. However, the previous-generation Macan remains on sale, and Porsche could opt to refresh it again to maintain a combustion option.

Meanwhile, the 911 remains firmly committed to the flat-six for the foreseeable future, though Porsche is embracing hybrid technology within the model range. The newly introduced GTS hybrid is already available, and a hybrid Turbo variant is expected next year.

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