Porsche's Upcoming All-Electric Panamera Will Sell Along Side Gas And Hybrid Models

While the Panamera will continue to offer a variety of powertrains, here's how Porsche plans to distinguish the electric variant from the Taycan

by Khris Bharath on August 28, 2024, 09:00

Remember that whole "fully electric by 2030" strategy that Porsche implied a few years back? Yeah, they’ve already backtracked on that, with the slowdown in the EV market. It turns out that convincing everyone to ditch gasoline is harder than Porsche had anticipated. Shocking, right? In yet another development, Michael Steiner, Porsche’s R&D head honcho, told Autocar that the Panamera isn’t ditching gas and fancy gasoline-electric combos anytime soon. An electric Panamera is still coming, but those hoping for an all-electric future for the four-door Sportback might need to adjust their expectations. Frankly, I saw this one coming, given the growing popularity of hybrids off-late and how they’re now considered cool.

The Future Panamera Range Will Offer Plenty Of Powertrain Choices

Porsche's Upcoming All-Electric Panamera Will Sell Along Side Gas And Hybrid Models storyboard - image 191633

Just like with the upcoming all-electric Cayenne,, the Panamera will keep its glorious gas-powered heart beating alongside a lineup of plug-in hybrids. Basically, you’ll still have options, even if those options involve tailpipes.

This is a major shift from Porsche’s initial plan to become practically all-electric by the end of the decade. The 2024 Panamera redesign kind of already hinted at this new reality, with two gas-powered options and a whole mess of plug-in hybrids still kicking around.

The new Cayenne is full electric, but we’ll keep the gas version around for its entire lifespan. Same goes for the Panamera. Michael Steiner told Autocar, U.K.

Porsche's Upcoming All-Electric Panamera Will Sell Along Side Gas And Hybrid Models storyboard - image 188042

The electric Panamera is expected to be built on a dedicated E.V. platform whenever it finally graces us with its presence. This platform is likely the same SSP Sport one that Porsche’s cooking up for its upcoming three-row electric behemoth, internally called K1 arriving around 2027. While details on the electric Panamera itself are slim, Steiner did mention it might grow in size.

This would create a clearer distinction from the Taycan, which Porsche seems pretty keen on keeping around. After all, the Taycan and Panamera are practically four-door twins right now. A bigger electric Panamera could potentially also lure in full-size luxury sedan shoppers who might not be down with the Taycan’s sportier vibe.

So, while Porsche might be slowing down on the all-electric hype train, the Panamera is still getting the performance treatment. Both the gas and hybrid versions are also expected to receive powertrain updates to keep those emissions nice and low. This ensures the Panamera stays ahead of the curve, no matter what kind of juice it’s running on. So until the charging infrastructure for E.Vs catches up, as well as more advancements in solid-state batteries happen, we’ll continue to see internal combustion sticking around, period.

Khris Bharath

Khris is a Mechanical Engineer and a classic car aficionado, who adores his Jags, Alfas, and old-school American muscle cars. He keeps tabs on everything from super exotics like an old EB 110 to the latest from Lucid and geeks out on three-row family haulers. Formula One remains very close to his heart, and he diligently makes time to tune in for the Grand Prix on Sundays. Khris also loves his road trips and he prefers a stick shift over an auto. Read full bio