Porsche officially drops diesel engines from its lineup

If you’re planning to buy a new Porsche unit powered by a diesel engine, better do it as soon as possible. This is because the German sports car maker has decided it has nothing to do with diesel engines anymore, no thanks to ever decreasing demand for such mills. Yes, Porsche won't be offering diesel-powered vehicles anymore.

Seemingly, gone were the days when diesel engines go toe-to-toe against gasoline mills for supremacy. Now, more and more carmakers are trying to shy away from diesel engines, but not because of gasoline powerplants. In the past few years, there has been a growing trend and increasing demand for electrified and all-electric products. On the other hand, the demand for diesel engines has been dropping.

Porsche’s decision to drop its diesel lineup could be traced back to the so-called Dieselgate scandal. This scandal involved the emissions of diesel engines employed by brands of the Volkswagen Group. This forced the group to re-focus its strategy and plan for a lineup laden with electrified – including all-electric – vehicles. Interestingly, Porsche is part of the VW Group.

According to Porsche, global demand for its diesel models has been dropping. In fact, diesel models only accounted for 12 percent of global sales at the brand. Porsche noted that since February 2018, it has already dropped diesel models in its portfolio.

Oliver Blume, chief executive of Porsche AG, remarked that the sports car maker is not demonizing diesel, as it is and will still be an important propulsion technology. However, Blume noted that diesel has always played a secondary role at Porsche, as the company is a sports car maker. Hence, Porsche is seeing its future to be diesel-free.

On the other hand, Porsche said it is intensifying its activities in the field of hybrid technology and electro-mobility, as it tries to match its product range to its customer demand and for the sake of pursuing technological excellence. In e-mobility alone, Porsche is investing billions of Euros (more than EUR6 billion by 2022), as the carmaker sees increasing interest hybrid models. The carmaker noted that around 63 percent of the Panameras sold in Europe are hybrid versions.

By 2019, Porsche will be introducing its first all-electric sports car – the new Porsche Taycan. Likewise, Porsche is aiming to have every second new Porsche vehicle electrified as an all-electric unit or as a hybrid model.

Of course, Porsche will continue to cater to its purist customers by further optimizing its internal combustion engines. At least those who aren’t ready for the e-mobility revolution still have something to look for at Porsche.

PRESS RELEASE

Porsche drops diesel

Porsche has always matched its product range to its customers’ requirements and the pursuit of technological excellence. That is why the sports car manufacturer is intensifying its activities in the areas of hybrid technology and electromobility and will, in future, no longer offer vehicles with diesel propulsion.

By 2022, Porsche will have invested more than six billion euros in e-mobility, creating the basis for sustainable growth into the future. Interest in hybrid models is already taking off. 63 percent of the Panameras sold in Europe, for example, are hybrid models. Demand for diesel models, on the other hand, is dropping. In 2017, the diesel share of worldwide Porsches was 12 percent. Porsche has not had a diesel in its portfolio since February of this year. Due to this change in conditions, the company has decided to no longer offer diesel propulsion in future.

“Porsche is not demonising diesel. It is, and will remain, an important propulsion technology. We as a sports car manufacturer, however, for whom diesel has always played a secondary role, have come to the conclusion that we would like our future to be diesel-free. Naturally we will continue to look after our existing diesel customers with the professionalism they expect,” says Oliver Blume, CEO of Porsche AG.

With the Taycan, Porsche will bring its first purely electric sports car to the market in 2019 – its manufacture is CO2 neutral and it is supplied with green electricity via an ultra-fast charging infrastructure spread over Europe. By 2025, every second new Porsche vehicle could have an electric drive – either hybrid or purely electric. The sports car manufacturer is also concentrating on optimised internal combustion engines. Purist, emotional and powerful sports cars will thus continue to play an important role in the Porsche product portfolio.

Blume stresses: “Our aim is to occupy the technological vanguard – we are intensifying our focus on the core of our brand while consistently aligning our company with the mobility of the future.”