Porsche group again equips more models with combustion engines

At first glance, electric cars and Porsche do not go together. Where it roared and stank in the supposedly old combustion world, there was only a soft sum to be heard. The Zuffenhauseners had still set themselves big goals – now they adapt the strategy, among other things, because of the poor demand and problems in China.

The group, which majority belongs to Volkswagen, wants to put itself against the crisis with a lot of money: in 2024 Porsche expects additional loads of up to 800 million euros-including to develop new cars with combustion engine or plug-in hybrid drive. In addition, it is to be invested in battery activities and the organization is to be converted. That has been clear since Thursday. But why does Porsche have to rethink?

Porsche had one of the most ambitious e-car strategies in the industry for a long time. By 2030, more than 80 percent of the sports and off-road vehicles should run off the assembly line with a fully electric drive. Porsche boss Oliver Blume emphasized the electric motor in the long term, emphasized more than one occasion. So far it was planned that almost all models will be gradually switched to electrical drives. The exception was the 911.

There have been signs that the company ranges back on its ambition for a long time. At first it was emphasized that the goal was dependent on the demand and development of e-mobility in the world. Later it was said that existing combustion models were refreshed and built in parallel for some time.

In autumn, the now fell-fallen CFO Lutz Meschke announced that in the future, it was considering a hybrid drive or an incinerated engine that was originally considered purely electrically planned. The worm must taste good for the fish, it was said.

Because that does not seem to be the case at the moment: the demand for the cars from Zuffenhausen is weakening. Last year Porsche sold a good 310,700 – three percent less than 2023. In China, the world’s most important car market, the minus was 28 percent. Porsche is primarily responsible for the difficult economic situation in the region.

Only a small part of the vehicles sold had an electric motor: the Taycan, modernized since 2019 on the market and last year, was poorly sold. In 2024, a good 20,800 vehicles were delivered. This number has almost halved compared to the previous year.

Last year, Porsche also switched the compact SUV Macan in Europe to electric drive after long delays. The car now comes to customers in the middle of the electrical lure. Almost 18,300 were delivered from September to December 2024. It is quite possible that this model – so far a seller – has been getting a combustion engine again. Porsche has not yet given details of the change of strategy.

The return to the combustion engine is a logical step for auto expert Ferdinand Dudenhöffer. “Like Mercedes or VW, Porsche rely on the words and commitments from the politicians from Brussels and Berlin. And they were left with it.” The funding for electric cars was stopped overnight. Likewise, politicians told the story of the synthetic fuels and the eternal life of the combustion engine. “Our politicians have soaked up the customers in their heads,” said Dudenhöffer.

Therefore, you need combustioners now. Porsche not only needs the Macan as a combustion engine, but also the other models. “The moral of history: the carmakers are chased from a bad investment to the other. Porsche has no choice but to invest again in the further development of internal combustion engines, such as Mercedes, BMW and others.”

And Stefan Reindl from the Institute for Automotive Industry says: “The persistent reports from the company will once again lead to a discussion of Oliver Blume’s double role as Porsche boss and as CEO of the Volkswagen Group.” He may have to give in to this pressure so that the Renditebinger Porsche gets into calmer waters again after the conversion of the board.