A report on French auto publication L'Automobile said the Porsche Pajun concept may appear at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September. Designed to compete with the Audi A6, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW 5-Series, an all-electric powertrain suggests it may also go up against the Tesla Model S.
According to Car and Driver, the French report said the Pajun will showcase rear-mounted electric motors powered by batteries on the floor with a range of 250 to 300 miles. It also claimed it will be a foot shorter than the full-sized Panamera sedan.
The Pajun, or Panamera Junior, will slot below the Panamera and is rumored to begin production in 2018. Joining the pure electric powertrain are a naturally aspirated and turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 petrol engine and an Audi-sourced 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 mill, according to Motor Trend.
The website said the Pajun will share its underpinnings with the Audi Q6 EV despite its hatchback/sedan form.
As Green Car Reports noted, rumors about an all-electric Porsche Pajun concept aren't new. Patent drawings showing a platform compatible with battery and even hydrogen fuel cells have reportedly circulated in the past.
"[There is even a] chart showing plans for future battery-electric and fuel-cell models for VW Group brands included on of each for Porsche."
The Stuttgart-based automaker "was the most rocked" with the emergence of the Tesla Model S as a high-performance luxury car, the website said.
An all-electric Pajun may be Porsche's answer to the Model S sedan which has recently been updated with "Ludicrous Mode" acceleration that gives it performance in line with other supercars.
"Should the electric powertrain make it to production, it would become Porsche's first-ever pure electric car," Car and Driver said.
The Porsche Pajun concept will reportedly feature a hatchback body style such as the one used in the Panamera but on a smaller platform. The Frankfurt Auto Show 2015 will be held from September 17 to 27 in Frankfurt, Germany.
