Porsche’s CEO slows down on electric vehicles: “There is still great interest in gasoline”

30/09/2026 14:00

Updated to

30/09/2026 15:12

Michael Leiters, the former CEO of McLaren, became the CEO of Porsche last October. Since then, he has had a lot on his plate: from shutting down the company’s battery, electric bike, and software divisions to reaching a significant deal with the owner of Jaguar and Land Rover.

But most importantly, following Porsche’s severe profit crisis due to electric vehicles—after testing the electric SUV that accelerates like an F1 car—he has had a primary task: clarifying to the market the future of the brand’s electric models. And note that in an interview with the Financial Times, Leiters issued a clear warning: “We need to be careful [with electric vehicles].”

Porsche and its electric vehicles: a relationship its CEO wants to (slightly) slow down

While Porsche has produced some of the best electric vehicles on the market—read our review of the Porsche Taycan—it’s also true that these cars have caused its severe financial setbacks. And Leiter wants to be cautious with them.

We “must be careful” with electric vehicles, he explained to a reputable economic newspaper, to ensure Porsche isn’t making “a double investment” in electric and gasoline models. And “that is one of the delicate issues for our future.”

A future that doesn’t necessarily involve electric cars. In fact, the opposite is true, as Porsche’s CEO is clear that in the sports car segment, “there is still great interest in gasoline-powered cars.” Porsche will respond by launching a diesel version of the current Macan in 2028—although it may have a different name—since it is currently only sold as an electric model; in addition, it will also introduce a diesel version of the current Cayenne.

That said, this doesn’t mean Porsche will completely abandon electric cars; rather, its CEO has confirmed a trend that already exists within the brand.

Leiters, who described his reputation as a skeptic of electric cars as “unfair,” explained in this interview that although “we need to revive our gasoline strategy,” “I’m very optimistic and believe that once we have the Macan with a gasoline engine, we will offer our customers a well-balanced choice between electric and gasoline cars.”

The future of electric 718s… and the 911

While Porsche works to restructure its lineup to reintroduce more gasoline-powered models, its current electric projects continue: the 718 will give way to electric Cayman and Boxter models.

But Porsche’s CEO has set a boundary that he is clear the company will not cross. It relates to its iconic 911, which already has a hybrid version, but Porsche will make sure it never becomes electric. Leiters made this clear once again, quite firmly: “there will be no electric 911.”