Porsche will hire over 1,400 employees to build its electric cars
The first ones should be ready in 2019, giving Tesla an even bigger head start.
Porsche first unveiled its electric car, the Mission E, last December as a luxury model fit to compete with Tesla's Model S. 1,000 new jobs would be created to bring the concept vehicle to life, but today they increased the total to more than 1,400, likely to channel good press and move beyond its parent company Volkswagen's emissions scandal.
Investing even more in the electric concept reflects a change in philosophy for the formerly combustion engine-only company. "You either take part in the digital change or you lose," Porsche labor boss Uwe Hueck told reporters at a briefing today, according to Reuters. On top of the 1,400 employees dedicated to the Model E, an additional 350 digital experts will be hired to set up a unit to develop mobility concepts and uncover new business areas.
Porsche hopes to start rolling its electric cars out of its Zuffenhausen plant in 2019. While the company declined to specify production targets, Hueck did say that they would need to sell 10,000 units per year to make a profit.
