About Porsche Electric Vehicles

While Porsche made waves in spring 2022 with the announcement that it aims for 80% of its vehicles to be fully-electric by 2030, the German sports car manufacturer has been experimenting with EVs for well over a century.

Ferdinand Porsche founded Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche GmbH – the original company known today as Porsche AG – in 1931. The company, which began as a design and consulting firm for engines and vehicles, released its first car, the Porsche 356, in 1948. However, its history of EVs started decades before Porsche was even a company.

Even as a teenager, Porsche was fascinated by electricity. At age 18 in 1893, he installed an electric lighting system in his parents’ house. After four years working at Vereinigte Elektrizitäts-AG Béla Egger in Vienna, he progressed from mechanic to head of the testing department. In 1898, Porsche designed the Egger-Lohner C.2 Phaeton – the first gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle – which was powered by an octagonal electric motor.

After joining carriage maker k.u.k. Hofwagenfabrik Ludwig Lohner & Co. in 1899, Porsche developed the electric wheel hub motor. In 1900, the first Lohner-Porsche Electromobile with this innovation was presented at the Expo in Paris.

Also in 1900, Porsche designed the world’s first functional hybrid car, the “Semper Vivus” (Latin for “always alive”). Porsche extended the car’s range by not using a battery as an energy source, but instead using a combustion engine to drive a generator and thus supply the wheel hub with electrical energy. One year later, the production-ready version was born as the Lohner-Porsche “Mixte.”

Despite its modest power output, the Lohner-Porsche weighed almost two tons. A lack of infrastructure and the vehicle’s short range put an end to electromobility for a long time.

More than 100 years later, the idea was resurrected with the development of lithium-ion batteries suitable for use in vehicles. This, combined with ever more stringent legal requirements for pollutant and carbon dioxide emissions, turned manufacturers’ focus once more to electric drive systems.

Porsche joined the ranks of other carmakers offering eco-friendly alternatives in 2010 with the release of the Cayenne S Hybrid and announcement of the 2012 Panamera S Hybrid. Porsche eventually re-designed both cars as plug-in hybrids, the Panamera in 2013 and the Cayenne in 2014. The Cayenne S E-Hybrid became the first plug-in hybrid in the premium SUV segment.

Many models and innovations followed, making Porsche not just an electric pioneer, but a fierce competitor when it comes to EV offerings today.

Here’s what to know about the latest electric Porsche models (base trims as of Q4 2022):

Taycan – For its first all-electric vehicle, Porsche introduced a completely new model, the Taycan, in 2019. The company refreshed the four-door sports sedan in 2021, adding more range and enhanced features. Still Porsche’s sole all-electric offering, the Taycan can be charged from 5% to 80% in 22.5 minutes. It is available in three different body shapes — Taycan, Taycan 4 Cross Turismo and Taycan GTS Sport Turismo — each of which offer striking proportions, timeless and instantly recognizable design, and a blend of performance with everyday usability.

Taycan
Base Price	$86,700
Range	208 miles
Seats	Four (optional fifth)
Cargo Capacity	14.3 cu. ft.
Base Drive	RWD

Panamera 4 E-Hybrid – Three plug-in hybrid model variants in the Panamera range, introduced in 2016, provide semi-electric driving the Porsche way, prioritizing dynamics and efficiency. Whether the Panamera, Panamera Executive or Panamera Sport Turismo, all 2021 and newer models feature an expanded hybrid battery capacity, as well as recalibrated drive modes to maximize the performance and efficiency of the powertrain.

Panamera 4 E-Hybrid
Base Price	$109,000
Range	480 miles (19 all-electric)
Seats	Four
Cargo Capacity	14.2 cu. ft.
Base Drive	AWD

Cayenne E-Hybrid – Introduced in model year 2015, the plug-in Cayenne E-Hybrid luxury SUV has seen increased battery capacity and other enhancements over the last few years. Also available as a coupe and in Platinum and Turbo S versions, the Cayenne E-Hybrid features a 230 volt, 32 amp connection and with the optional 7.2 kW onboard charger, a fully depleted battery can be recharged in just three hours.

Cayenne E-Hybrid
Base Price	$86,500
Range	450 miles (17 all-electric)
Seats	Five
Cargo Capacity	22.7 cu. ft.
Base Drive	AWD