Dubai. After a construction period of less than 48 months, Porsche officially opened the new production facility for its first all-electric sports car at its Zuffenhausen site, commencing the next chapter in the company’s history. “The zero-emissions Taycan is a new Porsche icon,” says Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG. “It is different to our previous vehicles, yet is still a typical Porsche – innovative, sporty and emotive.”
He added: “We have a level of responsibility for the environment and society. Production of the Taycan is carbon-neutral. Heritage meets the future at our parent plant in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, which is the heart of the brand.”
The positive response to the motor show presentation of the Mission E concept car in September 2015 marked the start of the largest construction project since the Zuffenhausen plant was first established. Less than 48 months later production of the first Taycan customer vehicle started.
The new production facility sets new standards in terms of energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. Assembly takes place in a “factory of the future” – flexible, networked and using 4.0 production technology. It is a further step towards the “Zero Impact Factory” with no negative environmental impact: production of the Porsche Taycan with zero-emission powertrain at the Zuffenhausen site will be carbon-neutral. In addition to using electricity from renewable sources and biogas to generate heat, the new production buildings are designed to be extremely energy-efficient. Further examples are the electrically powered logistics vehicles, the use of waste heat in the paint shop, the greening of roof areas and a continuous and holistic approach to other potential resource savings.
The Taycan heralds a new era in automotive production. Production is networked and flexible. Porsche uses automated guided vehicle systems instead of traditional conveyor belts to transport components and vehicles from station to station.
Production of the Porsche Taycan will see 1,500 new jobs created at the Zuffenhausen site, demonstrating that electromobility is generating employment at Porsche.
In total, the company is set to invest more than six billion euros in electromobility by 2022. The company has invested a total of 700 million euros in the new production facilities alone.