The electric Macan will be produced at the Leipzig plant
On May 14, 2024, Porsche will officially celebrate the launch of electromobility at its Leipzig plant in Saxony.
Porsche has invested around 600 million euros (approximately 101.2 billion yen) in expanding the Leipzig plant to produce the EV Macan.
The factory expansion reportedly includes a new body assembly line, and production of the new Macan is currently being ramped up.
The Leipzig plant will be even more flexible in the future and is designed to be able to build gasoline, hybrid and fully electric vehicles on a single production line.
The factory's celebration, held on May 14, 2024, was attended by many distinguished guests.
participant is:
- Dr. Wolfgang Porsche (Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Porsche AG)
- Oliver Blume (CEO of Porsche AG)
- Dr. Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and Transport, Germany
- Mr. Michael Kretschmer (Prime Minister of the Free State of Saxony)
- Winfried Kretschmann (Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg)
- Burkhard Jung (Mayor of Leipzig)
- Members of the Porsche Sustainability Council
The new EV Macan will be the second fully electric Porsche to be sold by Porsche after the Taycan, and Porsche currently plans to offer fully electric drive on new 80% and above models as early as 2030 (depending on customer demand and the development of electromobility in various regions around the world).
Below I would like to summarize what was said by everyone who attended.
Oliver Blume (CEO of Porsche AG):
"Porsche is convinced that electromobility is the future. Driving the transformation of mobility together is a joint challenge for business, politics and society.
However, this transformation is not happening at the same speed everywhere, which is why Porsche remains flexible with an attractive product portfolio, with three powertrain options (combustion engine, plug-in hybrid and fully electric).
The Leipzig plant is a pioneer and flagship in terms of flexibility and sustainability – both for Porsche and for the entire automotive industry."
Dr. Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and Transport, Germany:
"We are very happy about the new Leipzig plant for electromobility. Making electromobility even more attractive for people is now a joint challenge for politics and business.
To achieve this goal, we need a committed automotive industry to work with us, for example by jointly contributing to the expansion of charging infrastructure into the future.
Charging needs to be as simple as filling a tank with gas - that's the only way people will be motivated to switch to environmentally friendly electric vehicles.
With our so-called German network, we are actively promoting the expansion of the fast-charging infrastructure in Germany, with 9,000 additional fast-charging points ensuring basic supply in the country's regions and on its motorways."
Mr. Michael Kretschmer (Prime Minister of the Free State of Saxony):
"Saxony has a long tradition of automobile manufacturing. The foundation of the industry was laid with the opening of the Horch factory in Zwickau in 1904.
Saxony is the cradle of German car manufacturing. The celebration of 120 years of car manufacturing in Saxony is a symbol of how the state's automotive industry has reinvented itself and embraced new technologies, and the success of the companies based here.
Nearly one in ten passenger cars manufactured in Germany comes from "Saxony the Car State". The state is one of the leading production locations for fully electric vehicles in Germany and across Europe and has firmly established itself as an attractive and successful business centre.
As an innovation driver, electromobility will make Saxony an even better business location."
Smart, lean and environmentally friendly Porsche production
Sustainability is said to be a key element of the Porsche Strategy 2030, with the company said to be aiming to address the goals of the Paris Agreement and become a pioneer in sustainable mobility.
Winfried Kretschmann (Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg):
"We are now firmly in a new era of mobility. When it comes to passenger cars, everything is designed for electromobility. And Porsche is showing us that this not only makes sense, but can also be fun.
"Germany has the know-how and ingenuity to be a leader in the field of electromobility. The best people in our country are showing us the way. This is why I am innovating that we can master the change towards more sustainable mobility."
Albrecht Reimold, Porsche Board Member for Production:
In all Porsche production plants, we implement a "smart, lean and green" approach, which means we have a vision of intelligently connected plants with minimal environmental impact.
Porsche is also working to achieve a carbon-neutral balance sheet across its entire new car value chain by 2030. The Leipzig plant has received numerous awards for its sustainable approach, including the Lean and Green Management Award in 2021. The 2023 Factory of the Year award was also in recognition of the strict sustainability standards of the Porsche site in Saxony.
There are more than 4,600 employees at the Leipzig plant. That's why more than 4,600 of them are building the Macan and Panamera.
Furthermore, Porsche is involved in many initiatives in Leipzig in various fields (education, culture, social issues, sports, the environment, etc.).
Burkhard Jung (Mayor of Leipzig):
"We are very happy and proud to have Porsche in Leipzig. Porsche is not only an important economic driver, but also a committed partner to the city, supporting cultural, sporting and social projects, especially those of young people's interest.
For example, without Porsche, Rosenthal's 'Klassik airleben' (concerts) with the Gewandhausorchester would hardly have been possible."
Focus on people is the key success factor
Gerd Rupp (Porsche Leipzig Plant Manager):
"Thanks to technologies such as augmented reality, processes have become more robust and efficient, but the key element in our transformation plans is and will remain our employees. The life and soul of the factory are the people who actively shape the technology."
Reading the comments made by various German dignitaries in the news celebrating the start of electromobility at the Leipzig plant, I got the feeling that there are high expectations (or is it pressure (lol)?) of Porsche from these bigwigs, and that from Porsche's perspective, which is in a position to bear these expectations, there are many things that it cannot back down from at this point.
Part of me is hoping that "Well, there are a lot of things, but if we think about the reality, electrification will not progress as quickly as planned, and it will be able to coexist with ICE vehicles surprisingly well."
Oliver (CEO of Porsche AG) emphasized that "But change doesn't happen at the same speed everywhere, which is why Porsche has not only full EVs but also hybrids and ICEs," so I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the future.
Just before the announcement of the 992.2, I felt a little awkward when the news about Porsche's electrification came out (lol). ... This is my personal opinion.
source:(Official)Porsche celebrates the start of electromobility at its Leipzig factory