Add Porsche's name to the list of automakers who now assume their shift to electric vehicle lineups may be slower than expected. Yesterday, the German automaker said it is making every effort to ensure that 80 percent of the vehicles it delivers in 2030 will be all-electric, but that this will only happen if demand is there.
“The transition to electric cars is taking longer than we thought five years ago,” the company said via a statement.
Other manufacturers, among them Mercedes-Benz and General Motors, have made similar statements in recent months, saying that targets they set were too ambitious, as not as many consumers are making the transition as projected. Two of the major reasons for that are persistently high prices of EVs and the struggles in some parts of the world to establish adequate charging networks.
Porsche points out there are significant disparities between its three main markets. Demand remains very strong in China, while it is slowing down in Europe and becoming more sporadic in the United States.
For the medium term, the company will thus focus on a two-pronged strategy: delivering more all-electric models, but the continued development of gasoline engines.
Of course, all this can change rapidly. If charging infrastructure accelerates where it needs to, and more affordable electric models come onto the market, consumers will follow.
