Porsche to create its own EV batteries with a factory in Germany

As automakers push for the shift to greener vehicles, Porsche is set to establish a battery cell factory in Germany. The sports car brand’s chief executive (CEO) Oliver Blume told a German newspaper, they plan to set up a factory to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles.

"Battery cells are a key technology for Germany's automobile industry which we must also have in our own country, Porsche wants to play a pioneering role in this," Oliver Blume told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.

The CEO revealed that the battery cell factory would be built in the Swabian town of Tuebingen.

European automakers seek to reduce their dependence on Asian manufacturers as they ramp up the production of EVs and meet tougher environmental rules in the European Union.

For now, Porsche will purchase EV batteries from its parent company Volkswagen Group. The German automaker, Volkswagen plans to build half a dozen battery cell plants across Europe.

Blume said Porsche seeks to create the best EV batteries to match the quality of its combustion engines.

“But there will also be a segment for high-performance battery cells, it’s a Porsche domain. Just as we developed high-performance internal combustion engines, we now want to be at the forefront of high-performance batteries.”

Why not continue to rely on Volkswagen? According to Porsche's Development Chief Michael Steiner, existing battery suppliers are focusing on volume and fail to meet the specific needs of manufacturers like Porsche. Michael Steiner told Automotive News Europe more specialized needs when it comes to EV batteries such as Porsche's are falling to the back of the line.