Porsche drops diesel

Porsche won’t produce any new diesel models and will instead concentrate on producing all-electric cars starting in 2019, along with hybrid and petrol-powered models.

Although Porsche never developed and produced diesel engines (using Audi-built engines for the few diesels offered), its image has suffered from parent company Volkswagen’s diesel emissions scandal that surfaced in 2015, Porsche chief executive officer Oliver Blume told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper.

He was reported as saying the company wants to concentrate on “what we can do particularly well”.

“That also means that there will be no more diesels from Porsche in the future.”

Blume says Porsche hasn’t had any diesels in its range since February.

He adds a “test phase” has shown many diesel drivers are prepared to switch to petrol or hybrid cars.

About mid-2017, Porsche recalled about 21,500 Cayenne 3.0 litre V6 diesel vehicles of the Euro 6 emission class in Europe after the company discovered irregularities in the engine control software, fixed through a software update.

Porsche is the first major German automaker to withdraw completely from the diesel market.

Overseas media report Porsche has only 14% of its cars on diesel worldwide anyway.