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Porsche pauses EV rollout and leans on petrol and hybrids
Porsche has quietly shifted course on its electrification roadmap, putting a major new EV platform on hold and reaffirming the business case for internal combustion and plug-in hybrid powertrains. The change, confirmed in a recent corporate statement, responds to market realities and will weigh on operating profit in 2025 to the tune of about 1.8 billion euros.
The Zuffenhausen marque is not abandoning electrification, but it is recalibrating timing and product allocation. Key upcoming models will now arrive with internal combustion engines or plug-in hybrid systems at launch, while some lineups will transition to battery-electric power when it makes financial and engineering sense.
K1 SUV to debut with ICE and PHEV options
Codenamed K1, Porsche's new flagship SUV will not be an EV-only vehicle at introduction. Instead, the model will enter production offering conventional engines and plug-in hybrid variants. That decision reflects a strategy to protect revenue and margin while managing the cost and complexity of a full EV shift across a broad model range.
Highlights:
- K1 will launch with internal combustion and plug-in hybrid drivetrains
- Porsche expects a significant near-term profit impact from rescheduling its EV platform
"Internal combustion vehicles remain vital to Porsche's financial stability," the company noted, stressing a phased and pragmatic approach to electrification.
718 goes electric; 911 and V8s remain strategic
Porsche confirmed the 718 Cupé and Spyder family will go battery-electric, with production of the current mid-engine models ending in October 2025 and final deliveries running through March 2026. Development of 718 Electric is near completion, which removes the commercial rationale for an expensive new internal combustion generation of Boxster and Cayman at this time.
At the same time, Porsche is keeping key high-margin engines on the roster. The V8 will be preserved beyond 2030, and the six-cylinder boxer is being introduced in new electrified forms. The latest 3.6-liter flat-six units are offered in the 911 Carrera GTS and the revamped 911 Turbo S, with single- and twin-turbo configurations respectively and mild electrification helping meet emissions and performance targets.
Performance and flagship numbers
The updated 911 Turbo S is currently Porsche's most powerful series-production 911. For the 2026 model year in the United States the all-wheel-drive Turbo S starts at $270,300 and delivers a combined 701 horsepower, of which 631 hp comes from the 3.6-liter engine. Performance figures underline the car's supercar credentials: a 200 mph top speed (322 km/h), 0-60 mph in about 2.4 seconds, and a standing quarter mile of approximately 10.3 seconds with the Sport Chrono Package.
In Porsche's hybrid hierarchy, the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid leads with a combined output around 771 hp, followed closely by the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid at about 729 hp. These plug-in hybrid systems support both performance ambitions and tighter emissions regulation compliance while preserving combustion technology where it remains profitable.
Macan and Cayenne: combustion underpinnings and long-term planning
Spied development mules indicate the next Macan will ride on Audi's Premium Platform Combustion, similar to the current Q5 architecture, and Porsche has signaled the Cayenne will continue in internal combustion form into the 2030s. These moves illustrate a model-by-model electrification strategy rather than a blanket pivot to electric-only vehicles.
Key takeaways:
- Porsche delays a new EV platform, impacting 2025 profit by roughly 1.8 billion euros
- K1 SUV arrives with ICE and PHEV options; 718 family transitions to full BEV
- 911 remains a priority for combustion and electrified boxer engines
Porsche's latest recalibration aims to balance brand performance aspirations, regulatory pressures, and short-term profitability. For buyers and enthusiasts, that means a mixed-technology lineup for the foreseeable future: high-performance hybrids and retained combustion models alongside an expanding, but more selectively timed, EV range.
Source: autoevolution
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