Porsche plans to massively increase the number of job openings in its first all-electric vehicle project, as part of parent Volkswagen's (VW) plan to bleach its image after the emissions scandal.
Porsche, which is the second contributor to VW's profit, affirmed that it aims to create a minimum of 1,400 jobs for developing, crafting and selling its battery-powered Mission E car.
The Mission E is gunning for Tesla's Model S market, and the German carmaker touts that its first electric vehicle will roll out in 2019.
In a previous estimation, Porsche said that it will expand its workforce at the Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen facility with more than 1,000 new workers. The company wants to hire an additional 350 digital specialists that would build mobility concepts and uncover new business areas. The digital-oriented jobs are mirroring a shift in strategy that is in place at Audi, VW's luxury branch.
The company affirms that it wants to build a new paint shop and assembly line at the Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen location and mentioned that the development of the Mission E will cost it an estimated €1 billion ($1.1 billion).
Uwe Hueck, Porsche's labor boss, explained to reporters why the huge investment is important.
"You either take part in the digital change or you lose," he notes.
Despite the fact that the automaker receives more than 140,000 job applications per annum, it still has trouble attracting the big brains that could give it an extra edge.
Andreas Haffner, the head of the company's human resources department, underlines how difficult it is to recruit talented digital specialists. Haffner went on to hint that Porsche is pondering about relocating its digital division to Silicon Valley and China to fill the brain gap.
From the promised 1,400 jobs, 200 will be for engineers, 300 for salaried workers and 900 for staff handling production and manufacturing. Porsche acknowledges the importance of apprenticeship, and will add 50 percent more openings to attract young talent.
When asked to be specific about the manufacturing target involving Mission E, Hueck did not answer directly. However, he did point out that his company must sell a minimum of 10,000 models per year in order to rank a profit.
Sources familiar with the matter pointed out that the Mission E's all-electric powertrain will consist of two electric motors, one for the front and one for the rear of the vehicle. Thanks to the combined effort from the 800-volt motor combination, Mission E should go from zero to 60 mph in only 3.5 seconds.
