I have been reading, primarily in the Wall Street Journal, discussions of the Porsche IPO. A common thread that runs through all of them is: Porsche will use the proceeds to transform itself into an electric car company.
Electrics are all the rage now, driven by a combination of environmental hysteria, political posturing and misguided subsidies. They have their place - short to medium distance commuting, general household use etc. for those having convenient access to off-time (i.e. overnight, at home) charging. Long distance travel or all day recreational driving? - that's another story. My Macan has a full tank range of 525 miles at (high) highway speeds. A comparable electric version would be more than 400 pounds heavier - the weight of the batteries needed to achieve this range. Battery "improvement" is not going to change this. "Moore's Law" does not apply. The energy density of a battery. energy/unit mass, is limited by the atomic structure of its elements - not subject to alteration, amendment or improvement. It's a chemical issue, not an engineering target.
To my mind, this is the antithesis of the core concept of the Porsche brand - unmatched handling and overall driver experience. With the exception of the "sound" of the car (and there is a lot of discussion of this on the forum as well as its inclusion as an adjustable parameter) it's not about the power source (my Macan has what is essentially a VW engine as did the first Porsches) it's a chassis question and a massive battery is an issue that won't go away.
I hope Porsche is not falling on its sword in this one.
