Porsche doesn't think Italy should get a pass from combustion ban

Thursday, 9 September 2021

Porsche has unveiled a new concept, which could be our first glimpse at the upcoming electric Cayman/Boxster.

Recently, the Italian minister for ecological transition, Roberto Cingolani, was reported as seeking an exemption from the forthcoming ban on combustion engines for vehicles produced within the European Union.

According to him, the low production volume of carmakers like Ferrari and Lamborghini won't bring much of an environmental impact compared to the millions of other mainstream vehicles. That stance hasn’t gone down well at Porsche, whose CEO, Oliver Blume, says it’s not reasonable.

Speaking to Bloomberg, Blume asserted that electric in the next decade will be “unbeatable”, and that decarbonisation “is a global question and everybody has to contribute.”

Porsche, makers of both the all-electric Taycan and all-combustion 911, doesn’t think the likes of Ferrari should get an exemption from the proposed EU combustion ban.

This is coming from the company that currently builds the awesome electric Taycan but also resisted electrifying the iconic 911 sports car.

**READ MORE:

Despite saying Ferrari shouldn’t get an exemption, Porsche CEO, Oliver Blume, has said the 911 won’t be going electric for a long time, if ever.

* Porsche seen testing hybrid 911

* Lamborghini slashes emissions using trains

The Mission R concept is an all-electric racer that might also preview an electric Cayman/Boxster.

* Lamborghini and Bugatti boss wants the combustion engine around 'as long as possible'

* The Porsche 911 isn't going electric 'for a long time' - if ever

Last year, Blume said the 911 “is a concept of the car that is prepared for the combustion engine. It's not useful to combine it with pure electric mobility. We believe in purpose-designed cars for electric mobility.”

At the same time, he said to stop combustion engines “isn't the right discussion.” 'We come from both sides [electric mobility and e-fuels] to reduce CO2.'

On that, Porsche is about to begin trials for new synthetic 'e-fuels' using 100 per cent renewable power sources. Porsche’s head of GT sports cars and the 911 product line, Frank Walliser, recently said: “The general idea behind these synthetic fuels is that there is no change to the engine necessary, unlike what we have seen with E10 and E20, so really, everybody can use it, and we are testing with the regular specs of pump fuel.'

The German maker also recently revealed the Mission R electric racer concept, which could preview a future battery-electric Cayman/Boxster.

Lamborghini is part of the Volkswagen Group, as is Porsche, which means it could dig in the shared VW Group electrification parts bin to speed up its hybrid and fully electric vehicles. However, boss of Lamborghini, Stephan Winkelmann, recently said that the naturally aspirated V12 will live on, at least for one more generation.

“I think we have to have the capability to adapt. We need to change and this is something that is paramount to the success of tomorrow. You have to perform better than before… In terms of CO2 emissions, it is an important change, but we are convinced that this is going to work.

“The plug-in hybrid car which will follow the Aventador will have a V12 engine, and so the sound and the history will stay alive.”

At the moment, Ferrari is set to release its first battery-electric vehicle in 2025 while Lamborghini is even further behind with a due date of “before 2030”. Both brands will deliver more hybrid and plug-in hybrid models in the meantime, however.