“With it, we can get the CO2 we need for the e-fuel from the ambient air,” said Steiner.
“If we achieve that, we have a circular model where we derive the energy from sun and wind power, and the elements we need from the air. That then gives us a circular technology that matches the biological cycle for fossil fuel – but that takes millions of years.”
Q&A with Michael Steiner, Porsche R&D boss
Porsche recently confirmed that it will extend the lifespan of the existing petrol-engined Porsche Cayenne and other ICE models, partly in response to the slowdown in EV sales growth. Autocar asked Steiner about the reasoning behind the changes.
Why are you changing your strategy on combustion engined cars?
“Our strategy has been three pillars: ICE, hybrids and full-electric cars. What we have done now is to adapt this strategy in terms of timing. We will be prepared that 80% of cars we sell in 2030 could be full electric – this is what we prepare for in terms of product portfolio – but the expectation is this transition will happen slower in a lot of markets.”
What updates will combustion models get?
“We will have additional upgrades for our plug-in hybrids and ICE cars so they are ready for new emissions legislation, but also other areas like infotainment and also in terms of engines and technology. So you can expect some upgrades on the V8 and V6 engines. The new Cayenne is fully electric, but for its whole lifespan we will have the ICE version in parallel. It’s the same for the Panamera, and we’ve also just brought an update to the Porsche 911 with a hybrid powertrain.”
Why is the 911 only a hybrid and not a full plug-in hybrid system?
“We did a lot of testing in the last decade with different hybrid concepts for the 911. I had the chance to drive plug-in hybrid concepts with bigger batteries and bigger range, but after a lot of work and prototypes, we came to this result for the 911. Since it is the core of our sports brand, we need a more lightweight proposal.”
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