Porsche Will Build a New SUV That's Bigger Than the Cayenne

CEO of the Volkswagen Group since 1 September 2022, Oliver Blume has also retained his position as CEO at Porsche. Blume revealed some of Porsche's plans in an interview with auto motor und sport magazine.

The big surprise that he disclosed is that Porsche will build an SUV that will be larger than the Cayenne. The future model is currently known under the K1 codename. It will be an extremely sporty high-end SUV that will offer outstanding performance. Blume says nothing about the type of powertrain but mentions that it will "feature all relevant technologies for the future."

It will most likely come as a PHEV, just like the new BMW XM. It will be offered with specifications typical for each region. For instance, in North America and China, it will also be available as a seven-seater.

Macan and 718 Cayman/Boxster will remain the entry-level Porsche 

The Porsche CEO also made it clear that the company will not extend the lineup downwards, so the 718 and Macan will remain the entry-level models in Porsche's portfolio. Blume also said that soon, the German carmaker will offer an internal combustion engine version, a hybrid, and an electric sports car for each segment. The Porsche 718 Cayman/Boxster will be electrified. Still, the Porsche boss did not reveal whether the next-generation 718 Cayman/Boxter will only be electric.

The new electric Porsche 718 Cayman/Boxster will have the battery centrally placed, where the boxer engine is located in the conventionally powered models. Porsche believes that mounting it in this location will preserve the sporty character of the models. Asked how he solved the weight problem, Blume replied that it was done through lightweight construction and improved cell chemistry.

The 911 Hybrid will be a high-performance sports car 

Blume also confirmed that the future Porsche 911 Hybrid is in development and will be a very sporty plug-in hybrid as we know it from motorsport. It will combine the best of both worlds – the electric motor's power and the thrill of the six-cylinder boxer engine. It will have a short electric range because Porsche wants to keep the weight as low as possible, which would not be compatible with a heavy battery pack.

The upcoming 911 PHEV will be a very sporty, very Porsche-y, high-performance hybrid, "a technical derivative of the Le Mans car. " On the other hand, the carmaker wants to offer a conventionally powered 911 version for as long as possible because it still is so popular with customers.

800V or more for all Porsche electric models

Regarding future electric models, the Porsche boss said that absolutely all of them will have 800V or higher voltage technology because the company's goal is to charge the batteries up to 80% in 15 minutes maximum, and higher voltage means faster charging. But Blume claims that Porsche isn't aiming to build models with record-breaking ranges of 1,000 kilometers (621 miles). Instead, the aim is to have a range of 500 km (311 miles) for the sports models under dynamic driving conditions.

As for the PPE platform developed with Audi, Blume said that each brand using this platform will keep its own identity. Modules that are not important for differentiation between brands will be common because the use of standard components leads to cost savings. But there will be a clear differentiation in terms of the drivetrain, steering, or engines.

Therefore, Blume sees no danger of overlapping the character of one model with another and says that the PPE architecture is very flexible, allowing for the development of both standard and performance versions like the Porsche models based on it will have.

Blume also gave the example of the Taycan and Panamera and said they had not cannibalized each other at all. Less than ten percent of Panamera customers opted for the Taycan.

Synthetic fuels - a solution for the transition to the electric age

The Porsche CEO also discussed the sensitive topic of the electric future and said he also believes in synthetic fuels. Electromobility is the future, but over a billion cars worldwide will be on the road for many years to come. And for these, synthetic fuels are a solution because they ensure that they operate with almost zero CO2 emissions.

This way, all vehicles, not just electric ones, can contribute to reducing CO2 emissions, not just in Europe but all over the world. In addition, as a hydrogen derivative, synthetic fuels can be perfectly blended with fossil fuels. And every percentage of blending is a contribution to climate protection.

Referring to Porsche's plans for electrification, which call for 50% of models to be electric or PHEV by 2025 and 80% of models to be fully electric by 2030, Blume said the company is on track and even a little ahead of schedule. In 2022, 40% of the Porsche models delivered in Europe were EVs or PHEVs. Worldwide, the percentage was 25%.