'The future is electric': Porsche sets out plans to battle Tesla in the US

Los Angles

MORE than half the cars produced by Porsche will be electric by 2025, the German manufacturer's North American chief said on Tuesday as he set out plans to overtake market leader Tesla.

"The future is electric," Klaus Zellmer told the Los Angeles Auto Show, adding that the brand's commitment to battery-powered vehicles is "huge".

"By 2025, Porsche will have crossed a tipping point, actually building more than 50 per cent of its annual volume ... with either plug-in hybrid technology or fully battery," he said. However, he added, the "combustion engine of course is not dead", pointing to Porsche's popular 911 sports cars.

Porsche, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen group, unveiled its new battery-powered Taycan at Frankfurt's International Auto Show in September.

The brand's first 100 per cent electric sports car, the Taycan is capable of going from 0 to 60 mph (96.5 kmh) in less than three seconds. The luxury model is intended to rival Tesla, the California firm that dominates the global electric car market.

Tesla has an especially firm grip on the US, which is Porsche's second-largest market. The German brand sold 57,000 cars in the US last year.

From 2021, Porsche intends to sell a fully electric version of its SUV, the Macan, which would compete directly against Tesla's Y model. AFP