Porsche likely to cut Taycan production

In view of the weak sales, Porsche will reorganise the production of the all-electric Taycan flagship, reports the Stuttgarter Zeitung. Specifically, the plan is to only produce the model built in Zuffenhausen in single-shift operation. Jobs are not to be threatened by the cutbacks in Taycan production – at least not those of permanent employees.

Porsche did not want to comment on the information when asked by electrive, so there is no clear denial. There is also said to be no new status regarding the ongoing talks with the works council.

Following the world premiere of the Taycan in 2019, Porsche fundamentally revised its first electric model this spring. Not only the design was adapted, but also the drive technology and battery. The charging power has increased from 270 to 320 kW, and the energy content of the battery has also been increased – enabling ranges of up to 678 kilometres, an increase of 175 kilometres or 35 per cent.

Porsche remodelled its main plant in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen for the brand’s first electric model – production of the sporty two-seater was not allowed to be affected, but separate production of the completely new electric car had to be set up in a limited space. So far, this has been a great success: Porsche sold 40,600 Taycans in 2023, which was not only an increase of 16.7 per cent but also meant that electric vehicles accounted for 12.7 per cent of all Porsches. It was foreseeable that demand would fluctuate around the switch in production to the facelift.

As the Stuttgarter Zeitung newspaper writes, the “slump in the global e-car markets” is said to have reached Porsche with a slight delay. “Anyone who absolutely wants to own an e-car has had one for a long time. However, the new customer groups that are needed to continue the sales successes are taking a wait-and-see approach to the technology, in some cases even rejecting it,” it says, rather sweepingly. But there is also specific information: the important market in China is said to be successful for Porsche primarily with cars with combustion engines, while the Taycan is struggling. This also fits in with the fact that Audi has now withdrawn the e-tron GT with Taycan technology from the Chinese market.

In Europe, the electric Taycan will soon be joined by the electric version of the new Macan. The current combustion engine generation will continue to be built in Leipzig, but only for overseas markets. “Production has already been discontinued for Europe. The last units are currently being delivered,” said Porsche Board Member for Production Albrecht Reimold in an interview. “The background to this is a cyber security directive for Europe, which would have required extensive investment in the existing platform. From mid-2026, we will be fully focussing on the electric Macan.”

In the interview, Reimold also commented on Taycan production: “Here, too, we had to struggle a little because an important hardware supplier went bankrupt. We made significant changes to the hardware components in the drivetrain of the new Taycan in order to achieve even better charging performance and a greater range. But production has now ramped up and the cars are going out.”

With the “triad” of battery electric cars, plug-in hybrids and pure combustion engines, Reimold believes the sports car manufacturer is well positioned. The preparations for the production of the electric 718 successor as Porsche’s first electric two-seater are underway, as are the preparations for the large electric SUV K1 from Leipzig. There is only one decision that Reimold did not want to announce yet: The construction of Porsche’s own cell factory.

“We are currently working with our subsidiary Cellforce on the design of the high-performance cell, which should give us a competitive advantage. Then we have to industrialise the process and set it up in a technologically clean way – and all in line with Porsche’s structures,” says the Board Member for Production. “With a gigafactory, we are talking about investments in the billions. This has to be well thought out and prepared. That’s why we are taking the necessary time to make this decision.”

stuttgarter-zeitung.de (in German, Taycan), automobilwoche.de (in German, Reimold statements)