The acceleration was so powerful that the suitably helmeted and belted passenger stayed glued to their seat. The stomach churned, the heart rate soared, the cheeks flushed. On the Porsche circuit in Leipzig (Saxony, eastern Germany), the driver pushed the electric motors of the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT. Handling, the brand's strong point, was impeccable. This is no mean feat. With its 100-kilowatt-hour battery, this 1,100-horsepower, 2.3-ton model is the most powerful mass-produced Porsche in history.
The aim of the costly demonstration, held on the sidelines of the annual financial results on March 12, was clear: to show some 50 journalists from all over the world that Porsche's electric cars produce as much "emotion" on the road as the mythical 911, the iconic, roaring racing car born 60 years ago. The timing is perfect. The carmaker has just launched the electric version of the Macan SUV (also available for a test run that day), its best-selling model in 2023 along with the Porsche Cayenne and destined to play a major role in the electrification of the range.
Almost 93 years after its creation by Ferdinand Porsche, the Stuttgart-based company finds itself traveling a perilous road between two antagonistic worlds. On one side, the combustion engine that forged its legend and remains vital to its business model. On the other, electric mobility representing part of its future, and above all the object of dizzying investments: By 2025, €15 billion will have been spent on the electrification of Porsche. Despite good financial results released on March 12 (sales of €40 billion, up 7.7%; profits of over €5 billion; and an operating margin of 18%), the situation remains delicate.
Especially as a second strategic dilemma is emerging. Geopolitical tensions between China and the United States could force the company to choose between its two main markets, both of which are vital. In the coming months, Oliver Blume, boss of both Porsche and Volkswagen, the parent company, will have to manage double, competing objectives with potentially major consequences for the 42,000 employees of this automotive flagship.
First challenge: negotiating the electric revolution. The automaker, listed separately from Volkswagen since autumn 2022, has set itself the mission of having electric vehicles make up 80% of its sales by 2030. But is a Porsche a Porsche without its combustion engine? In particular, the mythical flat-six engine that powers the 911.
Despite the immense PR drive to support this fundamental break in the brand's history, there is still a huge amount of work to be done. According to figures published by the group for 2023, only 12.8% of its models sold worldwide were electric. And for now, there is no guarantee that the challenge will be met, given the general slowdown in demand for battery-powered vehicles in Europe and the US.
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