Porsche 911 To Keep Internal Combustion Engine “As Long As Possible”

Almost every move from Porsche these days hints at the brand’s electric future. The ultimate goal is for up to 80 percent of the marque’s sales to come from electric vehicles by the end of the decade – but what about the other 20 percent? It seems that the Stuttgart-based automaker wants to keep them for the 911 sports car, which will be the company’s last model to lose its internal combustion engine.

This isn’t the first time we hear about Porsche’s plans to keep the 911 off the EV market for the time being. While there’s no exact schedule known for when it will also receive a fully electric powertrain, it seems that the combustion era won’t end before 2030. Porsche e-fuels team leader Karl Dums recently confirmed to Reuters the 911 will be the manufacturer’s last ICE-powered survivor in the electric vehicle era.

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“Our strategy in the first place is switching to electric mobility and … we will produce the 911 as long as possible with a combustion engine,” Dums told the publication. While the sports car accounted for just around 13 percent of the firm’s total sales last year, it remains one of its most important products in terms of brand image and marketing. All other Porsche models will be turned into electric vehicles before the 911.

The first to arrive from the new era of Porsche EVs is expected to be the Macan. The electric SUV will ride on the PPE platform jointly developed with Audi and will feature an 800-volt electric architecture and quick-charging capabilities at up to 350 kW. That model is scheduled to arrive next year and, interestingly, Zuffenhausen representatives have already confirmed the existing combustion-powered Macan will remain on sale for a few more years.

About a year later, likely at some point in 2025, Porsche will also reveal the all-electric 718 Boxster. It is currently under development and is expected to be launched with a single motor as a rear-wheel-drive model. A more powerful dual-motor version with AWD will reportedly arrive at a later date. A Cayman hardtop variant will also join the range with the two sports cars having nothing from the outgoing Boxster and Cayman.