► Large SUV to join range in 2027
► ‘K1’ will launch as combustion and hybrid
► Electric version on hold for now
Porsche’s line-up will grow to include a large SUV that will sit above the Cayenne and its Cayenne Coupe variant.
Originally planned to be battery-electric, a ‘strategic realignment’ that was announced in September 2025 has meant that Porsche is ditching its plans for the new model to be electric only. In fact, Blume has confirmed that combustion and hybrid models will actually be the ones to launch first, with an EV on pause until market demand warrants one.
‘We will expand and refine our line-up of ICE models to meet diverse needs and regional market requirements during the transition phase – including newly developed ICE and plug-in hybrid models,’ Blume says during the investor call. ‘That includes an SUV above the Cayenne, in both ICE and PHEV variants.
The new K1 SUV can be seen in the brand’s future product plan above, marked as the ‘Prestige’ new sport utility vehicle.
‘We have seen a clear drop in demand for exclusively battery-electric cars, and we are taking that into account. That’s why we are pushing back development of selected fully electric models,’ Blume says during the investor call. ‘Specifically, this means the launch timeline for the full electric SUV positioned above the Cayenne – using the SSP61 platform – is being rescheduled. Close co-ordination with other brands within the Volkswagen Group, we are continuously evaulating the right moment for its market introduction.’
The K1 SUV is likely to still be built at Porsche’s Leipzig plant, currently where the Macan and Panamera are built. When the SUV was originally confirmed in 2023, Blume said then: ‘we are going to expand our product portfolio at the top end, introducing a new all-electric SUV – in doing so, we will underline and strengthen our position in the luxury car segment.’
By introducing this new model, Porsche hopes to increase its sales, particularly in the Chinese and North American markets.
While not much is known about the design of the Porsche K1, the 2023 press conference showed a car under a cloth on the screen behind Blume (above), with the boss saying the new K1 ‘is a new vehicle concept, with the flyline typical of Porsche, as well as impressive performance, automated driving functions and a new interior experience.’
We’ll update this when we know more.