Porsche
The cockpit in the new Taycan: Porsche today presents its first electric car
At the same time on three continents Porsche today his first pure electric model before: the Taycan. The diesel scandal Porsche has not left its mark, the VW subsidiary has put everything on the map, invested billions in electromobility and sustainability and even proclaimed the beginning of a new era – now it is eagerly awaiting what the big promises hold. From the end of the year, the e-model will be delivered, the United States make the beginning.
Whether and who wants to have the Taycan, how he will sell, all this is still uncertain, but Porsche CEO Oliver Blume is at least optimistic: “The entry into new technologies can never be managed without risk,” he says. But without the courage to do so, there would be nothing to get in the future. And Porsche decided early on: “We set the course for electromobility even before the discussions about the future of the diesel engine and climate protection came up,” emphasizes the 51-year-old.
By 2022, the VWSubsidiary has donated six billion euros for its new top topic, has recruited 1,500 new employees and rebuilt its plant at its headquarters in Zuffenhausen. For this, the staff even renounced money so that the production of the Taycan is settled there and not elsewhere, where it would have been cheaper and would have given more space.
But according to Blume, the money is well invested and the risk manageable: “We deliberately chose the Taycan for a segment in which our brand was not yet represented,” he says. The question of whether the group would come out of the electrical number for emergencies again, if it does not run, do not turn, says Blume. “I am firmly convinced that electromobility will be a success story for Porsche,” he says.
10,000 euros more in material costs per electric car
Thousands of pre-orders in recent months confirm the CEO. For each 2,500 euros down payment Porsche has pre-orders for a car adopted by so far hardly anyone knows how he looks in the production version and how he drives. Sometimes there is talk of 20,000 interested parties, then is spoken by 30,000, even 40,000 was already to read. But you do not want to commit yourself to this with Porsche, only that much is certain: At least 20,000 units per year will be built.
Stefan Reindl, director of the Institute for Automotive Industry in Geislingen, sees the development of electromobility as a marketing strategy: Porsche lives on the idea of building remarkable cars, explains Reindl. “And you want to show that electromobility is not renouncing.” In addition, one wants to be different from others. It is clear that this will break through to profitability at least once in the beginning. “That does not only affect Porsche,” says the expert.
With about 10,000 euros higher material costs, the Group expects to start with each electric vehicle compared to a combustor model. In order to be able to keep the goal of a 15 percent return that is not exactly modest in view of the weak car economy anyway, Blume has set up an “earnings program”. By 2025, this will bring in six billion euros and from then on per year two billion euros.
Also read: Does the Porsche Taycan drive the 911 out of state?
The group plans to sell about half of all vehicles electrified or with pure electric drive by 2025. Porsche, on the other hand, keeps its hands off its icon: the 911 with electric motor is out of the question.
uh with material from dpa