Porsche electric SUV, sports car in the works – report

Porsche is going great guns into the increasingly populated electrified vehicle market, with a battery-electric SUV, fully electric sports car and a Targa version of the forthcoming Taycan, according to a report by Autocar. “You can expect a SUV BEV (battery-electric vehicle) by 2022 at the latest,” said Porsche finance director Lutz Meschke at an event in Germany last week.

The report states that Meschke referred to the electric SUV as ‘big’, which initially hints at a Cayenne-sized model, however the latest E3-generation Cayenne is just one year old and may not be due for a full model change until five year’s time, it continues.

The current Macan’s lifecycle is a closer fit for the timeline mentioned, as the mid-sized platform sibling to the Audi Q5 is due for replacement in 2021. There are however other possibilities; these could be a variation of the Audi e-tron, a re-engineered E3 Cayenne or a new-from-scratch electric Porsche SUV, the report notes.

The Boxster and Cayman could be suitable for electrification, adds Meschke, which represents a growth in the brand’s EV portfolio reflecting the direction of previous Volkswagen Group CEO Matthias Müller, who committed to having an electrified version of every model in each of the group’s brands by 2023.

A fully electric two-door, compact sports car could also adopt the J1 architecture which underpins the Taycan, the report adds, though taking this direction will also mean a reduction in battery size, range and performance, it notes.

A new PPE architecture is being developed in parallel with the Taycan, and the former could be market-ready by 2022, the report says, which is when Porsche’s battery electric SUV is set to go on sale. It remains to be seen whether or not the PPE platform is versatile enough to form the basis of multiple powertrain layouts and firewall heights, it added.

Even before the Taycan has made its debut, work on a Targa version of the all-electric Porsche is already underway, and it will also be built at the Zuffenhausen plant alongside the Taycan. Not much in details is available for now, though Autocar hints at a large sliding roof that will retract into the rear hatch area, it said.

Electrification will extend to the marque’s most iconic nameplate, the 911, which will include a hybrid version in the forthcoming 992-generation model. Though the full-model refresh is due to make its debut later this year, the hybridised version won’t be joining the line-up at launch, rather it is slated for its debut in 2022. This is part of the VW Group-wide strategic target of having an electrified version of every model by 2023.

Electrification of the 911 is a challenge posed by the hurdles presented by battery packaging, which are likely to be aided with the advent of next-generation solid-state batteries, Autocar reported. However, solid-state technology for this application may be a decade from production reality, it adds.

GALLERY: Mark Webber tests the Taycan

GALLERY: 2015 Porsche Mission E concept

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.