Upcoming Porsche K1 flagship SUV will no longer debut as an EV

For quite some time, Porsche has been developing a new flagship SUV that will sit above the Cayenne in its portfolio. This upcoming SUV – codenamed the ‘K1’ – was initially intended to be offered solely as an EV based on the Volkswagen Group’s Scalable Systems Platform (SSP), currently slated for a 2029 debut. However, the German marque has reportedly scrapped the K1 SUV’s EV-only plans in favour of combustion power.

1. Porsche K1 SUV has supposedly shifted to VW Group’s PPC architecture
2. K1 will now be a Porsche-badged twin of the upcoming Audi Q9
3. 4-, 5- and 7-seat versions of the Porsche K1 are expected
4. Global launch of Porsche K1 likely in 2028

Porsche reverses course on K1 EV plans

According to Autocar UK, the Porsche K1 luxury SUV is no longer set to debut as an EV. The decision has been made in light of delays in the SSP’s engineering, notably on the software side, as well as the global decline in EV sales over the past few years. The latter point also prompted Porsche to start work on a new petrol and hybrid SUV last year, which could supplant the current ICE Macan.

K1 to compete with Mercedes GLS and BMW X7

Now, the Porsche K1 SUV will be underpinned by Volkswagen’s Premium Platform Combustion (PPC), effectively serving as a twin to the upcoming Audi Q9 three-row SUV. This means the K1 will be sold with twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 and 3.0-litre V6 powertrains – both petrol and plug-in hybrid – at launch. The K1 is also anticipated to offer 4-, 5- and 7-seat configurations, allowing Porsche to place the Mercedes-Benz GLS and BMW X7 in its crosshairs.

All-electric K1 still in the works at Porsche

Sharing the K1’s architecture and mechanicals with the Q9 is supposedly seen as a key factor in helping Porsche offset the high cost of developing newer EV offerings like the Cayenne Electric and Macan Electric. However, Porsche hasn’t ruled out the prospect of an all-electric K1 yet, confirming that the EV version will launch eventually.

Porsche K1 SUV launch timeline

As for the ICE-powered Porsche K1, it will launch around 12 months after the Audi Q9 goes on sale globally. Since the Q9 is expected to debut in 2026 and launch in 2027, the Porsche K1 will come no sooner than 2028. Like the Q9 and Cayenne Electric, the K1 will be manufactured at the Volkswagen Group’s Bratislava facility in Slovakia.