ICE Retrofit: Porsche Models Originally Destined As EVs Could Soon Feature Gas/Hybrid Powertrains

Porsche’s EV-only models will get hybrid and/or internal combustion powertrains or die out

Porsche recently mended a wrongdoing in my opinion, by extending production of its best-seller – the combustion-powered Macan. The EV Macan will be offered alongside its ICE-powered counterpart, but the fate of some other Porsche EV models is still to be decided owing to the shifting EV market sales trend and an increased demand for hybrids in the United States. This comes in the light of some pretty bold recent comments made by Porsche boss, as Porsche is already developing all-electric version of the Panamera, Cayenne and the 718 Boxster/Cayman is around the corner.

“We are currently looking at the possibility of the originally planned all-electric vehicles having a hybrid drive or a combustion engine. We are currently in the middle of making conceptual decisions. What is clear is that we are sticking with the combustion engine for much longer.” Lutz Meschke, CEO Porsche AG told Auto News Europe

The Panamera EV will sell alongside the combustion/ hybrid variants. While nothing is set in stone, could the Taycan’s declining sales could potentially lead to the model’s discontinuation? The Taycan and Panamera platforms, while not the same, are comparable, which begs the question, would Porsche go through the trouble of converting the performance EV sedan or will the Taycan die away like the Porsche 928 did almost three decades ago?

Back in 2015, Porsche showcased the Pajun Concept – essentially, a scaled-down hybrid Panamera that was said to be powered by a V-6 hybrid powertrain. The model was delayed until 2019 and in the end, what we got was the all-electric Taycan instead, which was Porsche’s effort to ride the performance EV wave, but now a strong case could be made for a model like the Pajun, which stands for “Panamera Junior”.

The future of Porsche models is set in hybrids, but pure ICE models will still exist

What about Porsche’s sports cars? We already have a hybridized 911 and Porsche says it will be the last model to go fully electric (if ever). We also know that the upcoming 992.2 Turbo will also go hybrid, but there are some alarming reports about the next-gen 911 GT3, potentially taking an alternative route altogether.

This leaves the Porsche Cayman and Boxster. The ICE variants will live on in 2025 with the 718 EV taking over in 2026. However, given that Porsche’s entry-level sports car is not necessarily a volume seller, I wonder if Porsche would even consider retrofitting a gas power plant. Most fans would hope they do. Alternatively, similar to the Macan, the ICE-powered Porsche 718 might receive extended service with yet another refresh, and after seeing what the T-Hybrid powertrain of the 911 is capable of, there is a very good case to be made for a Porsche 718 hybrid.

So, to sum it up, it appears that pure ICE-powered Porsche models are here to stay, as proven by the base Porsche 992.2 Carrera and the manual-only Carrera T models and the V-8-packing Porsche Cayenne GTS. In fact, Porsche has already confirmed that both the V6 and the V8 will live on in the Cayenne until 2030. The upcoming flagship all-electric K9, which will sit above the Cayenne could also be a potential candidate for an ICE conversion.