Porsche drops diesel power from its vehicle range

In a bid to intensify its focus on hybrid drive and electrification, Porsche has announced that it will no longer offer diesel propulsion for its entire auto range.

The company confirmed plans to exit the diesel market in an emailed statement on Sunday, citing declining demand.

"We as a sports auto manufacturer, however, for whom diesel has always played a secondary role, have come to the conclusion that we would like our future to be diesel-free". In 2017, the diesel share of Porsche's global sales was 12 per cent. Porsche has not had a diesel in its portfolio since February of this year. It is, and will remain, an important propulsion technology.

Porsche said its hybrid cars are becoming increasingly popular, with about 63 percent of buyers of the four-door Panamera coupe in Europe opting for the partly electric version.

Porsche's chief executive says the sports auto maker won't produce any new diesel models in the wake of parent company Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal.

The company will introduce the Taycan model next year, the brand's first fully-electric sportscar based on the Mission E concept vehicle. This affects 13,500 diesel cars in Europe.

In the carmaker's home country of Germany, there are already many cities where diesel bans for older vehicles have commenced, with Hamburg leading the way.