Porsche has been chipping away at a new flagship SUV for quite some time that will sit above the Cayenne in the German marque’s model 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, Porsche has reportedly scrapped the K1 SUV’s EV-only plans in favour of combustion power.
- Porsche K1 SUV supposedly shifted to VW Group’s PPC architecture
- K1 will now be a Porsche-badged twin of the upcoming Audi Q9
- 4-, 5-, and 7-seat versions of the Porsche K1 are expected
- Global launch of Porsche K1 likely in 2028
Porsche reverses course on K1 EV plans
According to our sister publication, 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. That 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 be debuted in 2026 and launched 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.
