Porsche delays flagship EV SUV, combustion and hybrid variants to launch first

Share via: The Stuttgart carmaker has quietly admitted that its much-anticipated flagship SUV, internally codenamed K1, will not be born electric. Instead, it will roll out first with a traditional combustion engine and hybrid power. …Read More The Stuttgart carmaker has quietly admitted that its much-anticipated flagship SUV, internally codenamed K1, will not be born electric. (Photo is representational) View Personalised Offers on Check Offers For years, Porsche has been the poster child of Europe’s grand electric car ambitions. The company that made its name with flat-six engines and track-bred coupes was also the one telling the world that the future was all-electric. Yet, reality has a way of tripping up the best-laid plans. The Stuttgart carmaker has quietly admitted that its much-anticipated flagship SUV, internally codenamed K1, will not be born electric. Instead, it will roll out first with a traditional combustion engine and hybrid power. That decision speaks louder than any boardroom statement. It shows just how much the EV dream is colliding with market hesitation, regulatory swings, and the simple fact that luxury car buyers are not switching to batteries as quickly as PowerPoint slides once promised. Also Read : Porsche Cayenne EV set to debut late 2025 with over 1,000 bhp: What to expect? Shifting Gears at the TopCEO Oliver Blume, who also heads the Volkswagen Group, tried to frame it gently. “Massive changes within the automotive environment” were forcing Porsche to “realign across the board,” he said. Behind the polished words lies a frank admission: the company’s EV roadmap needs a serious rethink. The K1 is just one piece of the puzzle. Porsche has also slowed work on its next-generation EV platform, once hyped as the foundation for many future models. Some projects, like the Cayenne EV and a new electric 718 sports car, are still on track. But others, including electric SUVs meant to replace existing gasoline ones, have been quietly pushed further down the road. Why Porsche BlinkedThe reasons are familiar to anyone watching the EV space closely. Customers are proving more cautious than expected, worried about charging infrastructure, range, or simply unwilling to pay the premium that luxury EVs demand. In the U.S., tariffs are rising; in China, the luxury market is cooling; and in Europe, subsidies are shifting. Together, these factors have made it harder for Porsche to sell the EV story at scale. And then there is the bottom line. Rethinking platforms, delaying launches, and reengineering vehicles don’t come cheap. Porsche has already warned that its operating profit could take a hit of up to Euro 1.8 billion in 2025. The Larger PictureFor the wider industry, Porsche’s pivot is a sobering reminder that electrification will not follow a straight line. The narrative of every carmaker going fully electric by the early 2030s always sounded ambitious, but here is proof that even the strongest brands are hedging. The road ahead looks more like a patchwork, EVs sharing space with hybrids and combustion models for years, maybe even decades, to come. Pragmatism Over PurityThat doesn’t mean Porsche is giving up on EVs. The Cayenne EV is still coming, as is the 718 electric sports car. But the company is also preparing a combustion-engine successor to the Macan, leaning on Audi’s Q5 platform. It’s a strategy born of pragmatism: keep the engines alive while the battery world catches up. In a way, it is Porsche being Porsche, calculating, cautious, but never blind to its market. The emotional tug of an all-electric dream is still there, but for now, the roar of combustion and the hum of hybrids will continue to carry the brand. A Reality Check for the EV EvangelistsFor enthusiasts who believed the future would arrive in one clean sweep, Porsche’s recalibration may sting. But perhaps it’s better to see it as realism rather than retreat. Electrification is not just a matter of technology; it is about people, infrastructure, and trust. Porsche’s latest move tells us that the revolution will be slower, more uneven, and a little more complicated than many of us thought. Get insights into Upcoming Cars In India, Electric Vehicles, Upcoming Bikes in India and cutting-edge technology transforming the automotive landscape. First Published Date: 21 Sept 2025, 08:30 am IST
Source: hindustantimes.com