Porsche CEO Michael Leiters has confirmed that the company will not take the electric route for its iconic 911 sports car. This comes months after the German brand announced a costly EV strategy reversal worth $4.5 billion. Leiters confirmed the news at an Auto, Motor und Sport event in Germany on June 11, 2026, mentioning that the Porsche 911 will be powered by an internal combustion engine and a hybrid powertrain. "A 911 is such an iconic product that progress there must be ensured with combustion and hybrid technology," said Leiters. The announcement puts to rest rumors about an all-electric 911. Advertisement Advertisement By not taking the EV route, Porsche has clearly sent a message that it won't be fiddling with the 911's identity in any way, carefully sculpted over many decades by its rear-mounted six-cylinder boxer engine and unmatched driving experience. a grey porsche gtr parked in front of a building Porsche's decision to ensure the 911's legacy lives on also comes from its experience of going down the EV rabbit hole, which did not end well. MotorBiscuit reported in March that Porsche decided to scale back its EV strategy and instead focus on hybrid and gas-powered cars, a call that cost €3.9 billion ($4.5 billion). Porsche's Expensive EV Lesson It Will Never Forget Due to weak demand, Porsche shifted some of its all-electric plans toward hybrid models, forcing the company to recalibrate several processes last year. The operating profit dropped by 92.7% in 2025 to $478 million. The German automaker received four profit warnings last year and even got delisted from the country's DAX index. Porsche experienced a business slowdown last year, with deliveries dropping by 10%, leading to a 12% revenue drop to $37.2 billion. In China, Porsche lost 3 percentage points of market share as deliveries fell from 18% to 15%, as people preferred local car manufacturers. Advertisement Advertisement Porsche was struck hard in the United States, its largest market, courtesy of President Donald Trump's 15% import tariffs. Since Porsche imports all its vehicles, the president's decision has significantly impacted business, leading to an additional cost of $810 million in 2025. Porsche will switch to more profitable cars powered by internal combustion engines and hybrid technology. As a result of the shift in focus of its product lineup, it has postponed the launch of its electric vehicles, such as the Porsche Cayman and the Porsche 718 Boxster. Leiters said back then that the company would have to cut more jobs to weather the storm. This is in addition to the 3,900 layoffs planned by 2030. Along with parent company Volkswagen Group, a total of 50,000 job cuts are expected in the next four years. However, a recent Reuters report noted that Porsche has no plans to abandon EVs entirely. Instead, the company will continue selling electric vehicles in markets where demand and profitability justify the investment.
Liked by Liam Labelle, Sophie Girard
Liked by Liam Labelle, Sophie Girard
Liked by Liam Labelle, Sophie Girard
