Porsche eliminates diesel cars from its range

Porsche definitely abandons diesel.

The automaker announced Sunday that it would focus on hybrid and electric technology and that it will no longer manufacture diesel powered vehicles.

The announcement comes five months after the arrest of a senior Porsche executive in Germany as part of an investigation into the rigging of diesel emissions by Porsche's parent company Volkswagen.

Only 12% of Porsche's global sales came from diesel cars in 2017. The company had no diesel car in its portfolio since February and has not proposed a diesel model in the US since November 2015, said a spokesman for Porsche at CNN. .

Porsche said in a press release that demand for electric and hybrid vehicles had soared, but that the diesel market was shrinking.

"Due to this change in conditions, the company has decided to no longer offer diesel propulsion in the future," the company said.

Oliver Blume, Managing Director of Porsche AG, said in a statement that Porsche "does not demonize diesel".

"It is and will remain an important propulsion technology." As a manufacturer of sports cars, for whom diesel has always played a secondary role, we have come to the conclusion that we would like our future to be diesel-free. . he said.

Diesel has never been an important part of Porsche's portfolio. The automaker has proposed diesel versions of some of its four-door models, but the company has opted for gasoline for its sports cars.

In its press release, Porsche is touting the introduction of Taycan, the brand's first all-electric model that will compete with Tesla in the luxury vehicle market. The Taycan will debut in 2019.

"By 2025, every second Porsche vehicle could have an electric transmission – hybrid or purely electric," said the company.

About two years ago, Volkswagen became the focus of an explosive scandal: mounting diesel cars to fool environmental regulatory tests. This led to the ousting of its CEO and a series of legal battles in the United States and abroad.

-Peter Valdes-Dapena contributed to this report.

CNNMoney (New York) First published on September 23, 2018: 6:16 PM ET