Porsche’s new EVs will bring bold designs as ‘an evolution’ of the sports car brand
Porsche is bringing fresh design features for its upcoming electric vehicles. According to Ingo Scheinhütte, head of advanced exterior design at Porsche, the brand’s new EVs “must be an evolution” of the German firm’s heritage.
Porsche vehicles are known for their performance, but the design plays an integral role, especially when it comes to EVs.
Scheinhütte recently sat down with Autocar to discuss Porsche’s latest concept models and how they will help shape the brand’s future EV lineup.
At Porsche, concept cars have always laid the groundwork for the brand’s future. The automaker continued the tradition with the all-electric Mission X hypercar concept, unveiled in June.
Oliver Blume, CEO of Porsche, proclaimed, “The Porsche Mission X is a technology beacon for the sports car of the future. It picks up the torch of iconic sports cars of decades past, like the 959, the Carrera GT, and the 918 Spyder before it.”
Blume added that “Porsche has only remained Porsche by constantly changing.” As such, the Mission X has the same dimensions as the Carrera GT and 918 Spyder but features modern design upgrades.
New Porsche EV concepts hint at future design elements
The Mission X includes a new light signature, a reinterpretation of the Porsche four-point graphic. A full-length light bar is the highlight of the rear, with transparent Porsche lettering that lights up when the brakes are hit.
The new rear lightning will be a focal point in future cars, as Scheinhütte explained: “Some elements are essential for our brand ID, like the continuous light arch – and on the Mission X, you see a development of that.”
He added, “Instead of just having a light bar, it now has the Porsche logo integrated into it. I’m confident this is something we will see in production.”
When asked if the design would be integrated into other segments, Scheinhütte responded by saying:
The more you go into the limousine segment and SUV segment, the less 3D shapes you can play with, so [sports] cars are kind of our blueprint that we try to take and adapt to our SUVs.
Porsche’s new concept also debuted a modern Porsche crest to represent the brand’s future (while still incorporating its heritage).
While the Mission X is a “development of the Porsche design language,” the Vision 357 “is a love letter to the original Porsche shape.”
Porsche released its Vision 357 speedster concept at the Goodwood FOS last month as a “nod to the first Porsche model line.”
Although the electric speedster is a tribute to Porsche’s heritage, it may include design clues for future EVs. Porsche’s design boss told Autocar:
On the 357, there is a crease on the side, and usually Porsches are very round. This time, we tried to give it a bit of an edge and a corner, even bring the corner around the whole car. I think we could apply that to our SUVs.
Regarding bringing back the old-school GT design for future Porsche EVs, Scheinhütte said the “old GT design with the large bonnet is the oldest symbol we can use in car design.” However, he added, “With EVs, you don’t have those symbols any more, and you don’t want to send a fake message.”
Porsche is set to release the Macan EV (it was recently spotted testing, check out the pictures here) next year, which will be followed by an electric 718 in 2025, the long-awaited Cayenne EV in 2026, and a new ultra-luxury SUV that will top the lineup in 2027.
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Environment
Wait, Rivian (RIVN) could really save the Volkswagen Golf? The next-gen EV promises to deliver
The iconic hatch may have found its saviour. Volkswagen confirmed that the fully electric Golf is already in the works and will be one of its first EVs to feature Rivian’s (RIVN) advanced software.
Rivian tech will power up the Volkswagen Golf EV
Can Rivian help the hatch find its place as an EV? That’s what Volkswagen is betting on. The next-generation hatch, set to arrive as the ID Golf, will feature an entirely new platform and software.
In November, Volkswagen and Rivian officially launched a new EV software alliance, “Rivian and VW Group Technology.” The German auto giant plans to invest up to $5.8 billion into Rivian and the new joint venture by 2027.
The partnership will build upon Rivian’s current electrical architecture and software stack, used in the R1S SUV and R1T pickup, for its next-gen “software-defined” EVs.
Rivian’s midsize R2 will be one of the first to feature the new platform, while Volkswagen plans to launch a series of next-gen “high volume models that are fully capable of advanced automated driving functions” built on the stack.
The first will be the production version of the ID.EVERY1, VW’s entry-level EV which will start at under $22,000 (20,00 euros) when it arrives in 2027.
After that, the Volkswagen will launch the electric Golf based on Rivian’s EV software stack. Volkswagen’s tech boss, Kai Grunitz, said “The ID 1 will be the very first vehicle with that architecture and will be the frontrunner on our side for the ID Golf.”
Grunitz added that starting with ID.1 “reduces the risk” because it requires less functionality than what the ID. Golf requires.
Since Rivian’s software system is much simpler with just a few ECUs compared to its current models (which run on way too many different units), VW can offer various levels of functionality.
“Vehicles in lower price segments will just need one zone, while a premium vehicle might need three or four, depending on functions,” Grunitz explained.
Rivian’s software and EV architecture are “highly flexible and highly updatable,” VW’s tech boss explained, adding, “We see it already on the road with Rivian today,” with regular OTA updates adding new capabilities.
This is “the next step” for Volkswagen so it can “offer new functions to customers even after they have bought their car” without even touching them.
According to Autocar, the electric Golf will also be one of the first vehicles built on its new SSP platform. With an 800V architecture, the next-gen platform will significantly improve charging times and efficiency.
Volkswagen’s head designer, Andreas Mindt, confirmed to Autocar that the team is officially working on the ID.Golf. “The Golf is a special thing within Volkswagen, and you have to stay true to the Golf,” he said, but he was tight-lipped about the design.
The upcoming electric Volkswagen Golf is expected to arrive around 2028 and be sold alongside the current gas-powered model.
Electrek’s Take
Although the Golf has historically been one of Volkswagen’s top-selling vehicles and is still popular, it’s starting to lose ground to new, more advanced electric models in the same segment.
Volkswagen already tried to revive the Golf as an EV. Remember the e-Golf? The electric car was retired to make way for the more advanced ID.3.
With Rivian’s help, the next-gen Volkswagen Golf EV promises to deliver much more with advanced tech and software.
Meanwhile, Rivian plans to launch an even smaller and more affordable R3 crossover and sporty R3X model. Will it compete with the electric Golf? We’ll find out more soon. Check back for the latest.
What do you think? Can Rivian preserve the Golf’s legacy as an EV? Let us know in the comments.
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