We have felt the tremors. Across the Atlantic Ocean, deep in the heart of Germany, a fissure in the earth’s crust is emerging:
We are hearing discussion of an all-electric Porsche sedan.
Now, to be clear, we’ve already heard tell of a sedan being considered. It was supposed to arrive in 2018 or 2019. It was supposed to come in diesel, gasoline or hybrid versions. It was supposed to be called the Pajun. And it was supposed to have an all-electric version as an option only.
However, Tesla’s P85D has grabbed a lot of attention lately with videos of people aghast over its acceleration. It is being talked about as the fastest stock sedan available. And it’s cementing Tesla as a major player in the high-end automotive space.
No one knows for certain what Stuttgart will decide but German magazine Auto Motor und Sport has been the first to report this new item under consideration. An electric-only car would be a huge departure for Porsche that would force a rethinking of how Porsche does pretty much everything.
Vastly important to this plan will be the state of battery technology. Many automakers are planning future electric models based on a range of the low-to-mid 200 miles. However, the more that automakers order batteries, the less expensive those batteries will become. Falling battery prices increase the likelihood that more R&D money will pour into the tech, which could increase the range.
Interestingly, Tesla’s forthcoming “if-you-build-it-they-will-come” battery gigafactory in Nevada will only survive if other automakers begin to place orders, as well (either that or a lot of people will have to start ordering Teslas). It could very well be that Porsche and other automakers will depend on Tesla for batteries just as Apple and other phone makers depend on Samsung to manufacture their CPUs.
In any case, we’ll keep you updated if Porsche’s interest in EVs intensifies. As the pre-eminent Porsche retailer in Cary, we welcome all questions.
Comments are closed.