Report: Porsche May Hang Onto the Gas Macan for Longer Than First Thought
The Porsche Macan EV was supposed to mark the next step forward for the brand’s sporty compact SUV, but it appears the company isn’t ready to let go of internal combustion in the vehicle just yet. A recent report from Autocar suggests that Porsche is considering keeping gas engines around in the next-gen SUVs, a reversal from its previous discussions on the topic.
Autocar quoted an anonymous “senior Porsche insider,” who said that the Macan EV has been well-received, but the automaker is cautious about its long-term popularity. “The reception to the new Macan [Electric] has been positive, but we are yet to see its long-term performance.” They noted that Porsche is now considering an ICE Macan along with a “range of product scenarios.”
While the gas Macan isn’t cheap, the Macan EV’s price is likely giving some buyers pause. Its more than $75,000 base price makes it significantly more expensive than the Tesla Model Y and other competitors, though it’s surprising to hear that anyone expects a new Porsche to be a bargain.
The insider also said Porsche is studying Taycan sales, which dropped by almost half last year. “The downturn in Taycan sales highlights new market dynamics,” they said. “We cannot rely solely on traditional assumptions about consumer behavior.”
Despite that, around 30 percent of Porsche’s sales were hybrid or electric in 2024, which isn’t exactly nothing. Even if the gas Macan sticks around, the writing is on the wall, as Porsche is working on an electric next-gen 718 sports car and has said it wants 80 percent of its sales volume to be electric by 2030.
[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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I was at the Porsche dealership last week getting the oil changed in my 2023 Macan. You can still get into a base ICE Macan for $59K. Going all EV would be a disaster for Porsche in the U.S. market. Range and charging infrastructure are not sufficient, and the EV offerings are too expensive.
Porsche USA is very nervous about the EV strategy, have already backed off the EV only Boxster plan. It's being pushed by Germany due to regulations in the EV but the US is Porsche's most important market, they need to meet the needs here to remain viable in the market. Quietly I think you'll see Porsche back away from the all EV plans and retain ICE engines well into the next decade.