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Tuesday, May 14, Porsche celebrated the official start of electromobility at its production site in Saxony. In recent years, the sports car manufacturer has invested around 600 million euros in expanding the factory in order to produce the electric Macan here.
Additions to the factory have included a new body assembly line. Production of the new Macan is currently being ramped up. The plant has been designed for maximum flexibility in the future, with petrol, hybrid and all-electric cars being made on a single production line.
Many prominent guests attended today’s celebrations. Representatives of Porsche AG included Chairman of the Supervisory Board Dr Wolfgang Porsche and Chairman of the Executive Board Oliver Blume. And from the political sphere, Dr Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digital and Transport, Michael Kretschmer, State Premier of the Free State of Saxony, Winfried Kretschmann, State Premier of Baden-Württemberg, and Burkhard Jung, Mayor of Leipzig. The members of the Porsche Sustainability Council were also in attendance.
Electromobility lays important groundwork for the mobility of the future
Following on from the Taycan, the new Macan is the second all-electric Porsche model on the market. In 2030, the sports car manufacturer plans to deliver more than 80 per cent of its new vehicles with an all-electric drive — depending on customer demand and the development of electromobility in individual regions of the world. “At Porsche we’re convinced that electromobility is the future. It is the joint task of business, politics and society to drive forward the transformation of mobility together,” said Chairman of the Executive Board Oliver Blume at the event. “However, this transformation is not happening everywhere at the same speed. Which is why we remain flexible — with an attractive product portfolio. And with three different powertrain types, namely emotional combustion engines, efficient plug-in hybrids and all-electric models. The Porsche factory in Leipzig is a pioneer and a flagship as regards flexibility and sustainability. For Porsche itself, but also for the automotive industry as a whole.”
Federal Minister Dr Volker Wissing emphasised: “I’m very happy about this new production site for electromobility in Germany. It’s now the joint task of politics and business to make electromobility even more attractive to people. To achieve this, we need a committed automotive industry working alongside us. For example, in making a joint contribution to expanding the charging infrastructure in a way that looks to the future. Because charging needs to be as simple as filling the tank. This is the only way to increase people’s willingness to change to climate-friendly electric cars. With the so-called German network we’re going full steam ahead with the expansion of the fast-charging infrastructure throughout the country — with an additional 9,000 fast-charging points ensuring basic supply in the country’s regions and on its motorways.”
Car production has a long tradition in Saxony. The foundation stone of the industry was laid with the opening of the Horch factory in Zwickau in 1904. “Saxony is a cradle of German car making. The anniversary celebrating ‘120 years of car making in Saxony’ is a symbol of the industry’s ability to transform itself and be open to new technology in the state, and of the success of the businesses situated here,” said State Premier Michael Kretschmer. “Almost one in ten passenger cars built in Germany comes from ‘car country Saxony’. The state is one of the leading production sites for all-electric cars in Germany and throughout Europe, and has firmly established its position as an attractive, successful business centre. As a driver of innovation, electromobility will take Saxony to even greater heights as a business location.”
Porsche production: smart, lean, green
Sustainability is a key component of the Porsche Strategy 2030. The sports car manufacturer is committed to the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement, and aims to be a pioneer of sustainable mobility. State Premier of Baden-Württemberg Winfried Kretschmann: “We’ve now got both feet firmly planted in a new era of mobility. For passenger cars, everything is geared towards electromobility. And Porsche is showing us that this doesn’t just make sense — it’s also fun!” He is also convinced that Germany, as a business location, is well equipped for this structural transformation. In this context, he emphasises the importance of innovation and creativity: “In Germany we have the know-how and inventiveness to be the leader in the field of electromobility. The best of the best in our country are showing us the way. This is why I’m convinced that we’re going to master the change to more sustainable mobility.”
In Leipzig, the Macan is produced with a carbon-neutral balance sheet. “In production at Porsche, we have implemented the ‘smart, lean and green’ approach at all our factories. This means that we have the vision of an intelligently connected factory with the lowest possible environmental impact,” says Porsche Executive Board Member for Production Albrecht Reimold. “We at Porsche are also working towards a carbon-neutral balance sheet across the entire value chain for newly built cars by 2030.” The Leipzig factory has received numerous awards for its sustainable approach, including the ‘Lean and Green Management Award’ in 2021. The ‘Factory of the Year’ award in 2023 also recognised the rigorous sustainability standards of the Porsche location in Saxony.
Economic driver with a wide-ranging commitment to society
More than 4,600 employees build the Macan and Panamera models at the Porsche factory in Saxony. The sports car manufacturer also has many commitments to Leipzig in the fields of education, culture, social issues, sport and the environment. Mayor Burkhard Jung paid tribute to the sports car manufacturer’s commitment to the region: “We are very happy and proud to have Porsche in Leipzig. Porsche is not just an important economic driver here, but also a committed partner to the city — as a supporter of culture, sport and social projects, in particular for the benefit of young people. For example, without Porsche, the ‘Klassik airleben’ concerts of the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Rosental would hardly have been possible.
Important success factor: focusing on people
Within the framework of the expansion of the plant for the Macan, the Leipzig factory was quick to qualify and emotionally prepare its employees for electromobility, and for the new tasks that come with it. At the event, Plant Manager Gerd Rupp emphasised: “Processes are becoming more robust and more efficient due to technologies such as augmented reality. But our employees are and always will be a key factor in the planning of the transformation. The life and soul of a factory are the people who actively shape technologies.”
Press release from Porsche AG.
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