Porsche has next-gen batteries for longer-range electric vehicles coming next year, says CEO

Porsche CEO Oliver Blume said that the automaker has next-generation batteries coming next year for longer-range electric vehicles.

In a new interview released by Porsche, Blume said:

“The next generation of batteries will come in 2020, and will bring an increase in the ampere hours of our battery cells from 37 to 47. This will permit us to achieve larger ranges, which we will gradually introduce into our products.”

He says that Porsche is committed to bring several new plug-in vehicles to market and those new cells will start getting into the lineup next year.

But for now, Porsche is focusing on the launch of the Taycan later this year.

Blume reiterated the announcement made at the Geneva Motor Show about increasing the planned production of the Taycan:

“In light of the extraordinarily high level of demand, we will increase our production capacities.

Again, Porsche claims to have received over 20,000 “show of interest” from customers – some of them have placed a €2,500 deposit.

Blume said that it is “significantly higher” than they expected before the unveiling of the production version:

“This is a significantly higher figure than we expected: we usually only see ordering peaks after the first driving reports are available, when the vehicle is presented, and when customers have been able to sit in the car in real life.”

If most of those “show of interest” from customers turn into orders, it could take a while for Porsche to work through the backlog.

Interestingly, the CEO said that they might try to get Panamera plug-in hybrids to Taycan buyers if they experience wait times:

“If there are waiting times, we might take the opportunity to gently introduce customers to the Taycan; so for example, we could make a Panamera plug-in hybrid temporarily available to customers before they receive a Taycan. But right now we’re awaiting the start of production before we talk about specific delivery times.”

The production version of the Taycan, Porsche first all-electric vehicle, is going to be unveiled in September.

Blume also commented on Porsche’s other all-electric vehicle programs:

“The Cross Turismo, the first derivative of the Taycan, will go into series production at the beginning of the next decade. And as you’ve said, the new generation of the Macan will be purely electric. No further decisions have yet been made beyond that. But you can safely assume that we already have many great ideas about how we will shape the mobility of the future – in ways that are sporty, sustainable, and distinctively Porsche.”

Several other Porsche electric vehicles have been rumored to be in the work, but the CEO says that nothing else has been greenlighted yet.