After suffering a seven-percent sales decline, Porsche is now reportedly considering a move to extend internal combustion production for much longer than initially intended. This extension would require launching new ICE-powered models, potentially including a new Macan. The rethink is seemingly based on trends in China, the world’s largest car market.
Porsche launched an electric-only second-generation Macan last year with plans to end first-generation production in 2026. However, the German automaker’s worst-selling model in 2024 was the Taycan. Sales for the first electric Porsche plummeted 50 percent last year, with only 20,836 Taycans sold. Autocar explained the potential shift:
Deputy chairman and chief financial officer Lutz Meschke has now confirmed that ICE models will remain a critical part of Porsche’s line-up for longer than previously anticipated.
Initially, Porsche aimed for EVs to account for 80% of its global sales by 2030, but this target has since been reframed to “depend on customer demand”.
“We are exploring the possibility of equipping some of the originally planned electric models with hybrid drives or internal combustion engines in the future,” said Meschke.
“Conceptual decisions are being made, but what is clear is that we are committed to the combustion engine for much longer.”
The Macan is one of Porsche’s best-selling models, and the company can’t afford a similar sales slump to hit the compact luxury SUV. Beyond its success in China, Porsche had second thoughts about ditching the ICE-powered Macan because it accounted for a third of the automaker’s sales in the United States. In 2023, the manufacturer told its American retailers it was taking a wait-and-see approach. I guess it’s really not liking what it’s seeing.