Report: Developing the Electric 718 is Giving Porsche Headaches
Porsche is not an automaker that often makes mistakes, which is why it took so long for the Macan EV to land after extended delays over software issues. The company is now reportedly struggling to manage battery packaging issues with the upcoming 718 EV, which could see it delayed in a similar fashion.
The German arm of Automotive News Europe, Automobilwoche, reported that Porsche’s battery supplier is managing near-constant revision requests from the automaker. Valmet Automotive, a Finnish company, is burning cash with the requests and is reportedly having trouble getting Porsche to foot even part of the bill.
The project is already behind schedule, making these battery challenges a significant threat to the car’s on-time release. Gas variants of the 718 are on their way out as the EU’s tightening cybersecurity regulations push them out. If the EV is delayed, Porsche could be left with a hole in its lineup as it sunsets the gas model.
Porsche has backed off its goal to move 80 percent of its sales volume to electric vehicles, and the German publication also reported that the automaker’s struggles could delay the planned Cayenne EV. It was initially scheduled for a 2026 release but could move back as demand and engineering challenges remain.
Automobilwoche reported that Porsche will keep the V8 engine well into the 2030s. This would mean that next-gen models, including a new Panamera, would launch with eight-cylinder power. The automaker saw sales of the all-electric Taycan dip by almost half in September, leading it to pledge to leave combustion engines on sale for the foreseeable future.
[Images: Porsche]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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