Porsche backtracks on 80% EV goal by 2030

Porsche has now backtracked on its previously stated goal of aiming for 80% of its sales to be all-electric by 2030. The goal in theory is still there, but its achievement will be “dependent on customer demand and the development of electromobility”, the company told Reuters.

That’s a pretty huge qualification for the statement, and waters it down to the point where we’re wondering if the company just didn’t want the bad press stemming from outright declaring the goal dead and thus opted for this convoluted conditional instead.

Anyway, the point remains: Porsche isn’t at all sure it will be able to reach 80% of sales with its EVs by 2030, since “the transition to electric cars is taking longer than we thought five years ago”, the company explained. It went on to clarify: “Our double strategy is more important than ever” – that refers to its continued development of both combustion engine and electric cars.

Porsche is not the only big car maker pulling a move like this, of course – in recent times Mercedes did something similar. And all of this basically boils down to the fact that a few years ago when all car makers announced these lofty goals, they severely misunderstood the market they’re in and how it would change on the path to full electrification. That fact in itself should give you some pause the next time a car maker claims to predict the future with such confidence.