Panamera

Make
Porsche
Segment
Sedan

The electric car war is apparently heating up, though hopefully not in a way that involves battery fires. Only a few weeks ago, Porsche claimed that it wasn't interested, at least for now, in pure electric powertrains. The plan instead is to invest heavily in plug-in hybrid technologies, which the automaker has already seen solid results in both sales and media reception. In other words, Porsche had no immediate plans to build a Tesla Model S fighter. Then again, perhaps that Porsche source wasn't telling the whole truth.

According to a new report coming from German publication Auto, Motor, und Sport, the Pajun project, the supposed baby Panamera, is now back on the table. But what's really interesting here is that Porsche, if the car goes ahead this time, wants the baby Panamera to be EV-only. The goal is apparently to make it a direct competitor to the Model S, which is actually the size of the Panamera. So why has Porsche changed its mind here? A couple reasons, one is that the segment the Pajun (that won't be the final name) would compete in is already too crowded with gasoline-engined competitors. To make a solid profit, Porsche needs to offer something different.

The second reason is that there's been numerous battery technology advancements recently, thus allowing EVs a driving range between 215-250 miles. Again, this is all a rumor at the moment but it's coming from a reputable source. If the EV-only Porsche sedan comes to fruition, a 2018-19 launch date sounds realistic.