Porsche renames V4Drive to V4Smart
The German battery manufacturer Varta founded its eMobility subsidiary V4Drive in 2022 to produce battery cells of the same name for vehicles. However, the special round cells are not intended as primary cells for the traction battery of an electric car, but as so-called ‘booster cells’. They can absorb and release a lot of power within a very short time and are therefore intended to be available as boosters for short-term power peaks – in electric cars with an additional battery for long ranges or in hybrids.
However, Varta did not find the hoped-for number of customers for this special concept – the premiere customer Porsche remained the only V4Drive user until the end. As the Zuffenhausen-based company uses these special cells in the hybrid system of the 911 GTS t-hybrid and had chosen Varta as its sole supplier due to the special way the booster cells work, Porsche was rumoured to be interested in getting involved early on when V4Drive and its parent company Varta ran into financial difficulties in 2024.
In August, Porsche’s investment in Varta was finally announced, followed by V4Drive in October. In January 2025, a court rejected complaints against the agreed takeover structure (meaning that shareholders were left empty-handed), which is why Porsche has now completed the takeover with effect from 4 March.
The sports car manufacturer also announces some changes. Production of the booster cells is currently taking place at the Ellwangen site. “The production facility there has already been brought to series-production readiness with significant input from Porsche Werkzeugbau GmbH,” says the company. From April, the cylindrical cells will also be manufactured on a new system at the Nördlingen site. The renaming of V4Drive to V4Smart is intended to emphasise the future direction, as the use of the high-performance cells “extend well beyond the automotive sector,” according to Porsche.
By the end of 2025, the team is to be expanded to around 375 jobs at both locations, with Porsche intending to take on “a large number of employees from the VARTA AG-Group.” V4Smart will be headed by Lutz Kramer as Chairman of the Management Board (formerly Porsche Werkzeugbau GmbH), Andreas Tschürtz as Managing Director of Production (formerly VARTA AG) and Monika Steuss as Managing Director of Finance (formerly Porsche AG).
“The booster cells enable us to bring motorsport technology to our production cars. As a key component of the T-Hybrid drive system, they ensure exceptional driving performance from our iconic 911 sports car. As we establish V4Smart – with a great deal of momentum and energy – I am looking forward to working with our new team, whose expertise will further strengthen our capacity for innovation,” says Porsche’s Board Member for Production, Albrecht Reimold.
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