Porsche has become the latest manufacturer to announce plans to enter the Formula E electric car championship, reports Autocar.
Work "is already under way" on a vehicle to compete in the series, the magazine says, adding that Porsche plans to use the research to further its electric car development.
However, the move comes at the cost of its highly successful World Endurance Championship (WEC) LMP1 programme, which it only entered four years ago.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Porsche will withdraw from the WEC at the end of the year to focus on its efforts in the single-seater series, says Motorsport, leaving only Toyota and a handful of privateer teams with cars in the class-topping category.
It also means the German car giant will no longer compete at the Le Mans 24h, an event it has dominated over the past three years with its 919 Hybrid prototype.
However, the Financial Times says Porsche "will continue to appear at Le Mans and other significant international races, but only in the lower GT classes".
There's also a chance it will be enticed into F1, adds the newspaper, as the series plans to "simplify" the 1.6-litre V6 hybrid engines currently used.
Earlier this week, Mercedes revealed its was planning to drop out of the popular DTM touring car championship to enter Formula E.
The two carmakers will join rivals Audi and BMW in the electric racing series, along with the likes of Jaguar, Renault and Citroen's luxury brand DS.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
-
Volkswagen ID.5 review: what the car critics sayFeature The ID.4's 'sportier, more stylish twin' – but 'don't believe the hype'
-
VW ID Buzz review: what the car critics say
feature The new ID Buzz electric van is a modern successor to Volkswagen’s beloved Type 2
-
Sport on TV guide: Christmas 2022 and New Year listings
Speed Read Enjoy a feast of sporting action with football, darts, rugby union, racing, NFL and NBA
-
VW Polo GTI review: what the car critics say
feature The new Polo GTI is refined, roomy and easy to drive
-
VW Multivan review: what the car critics say
feature Not much bigger than a normal car, it’s easy to park and a cinch to drive
-
House of the Dragon: what to expect from the Game of Thrones prequel
Speed Read Ten-part series, set 200 years before GoT, will show the incestuous decline of Targaryen
-
Volkswagen Golf R Estate review: what the car critics say
feature Four-wheel drive is ‘impressively smooth’ but still flawed
-
One in 20 young Americans identify as trans or non-binary
Speed Read New research suggests that 44% of US adults know someone who is transgender
