Porsche will have six single-seaters in the new Gen4 era of Formula E starting in 2026.

Porsche Motorsport has confirmed the expansion of its Formula E program from two to six 99X Electric single-seaters for the 2026/27 season, which will begin at the end of 2026. The manufacturer will operate four cars under its official structure from Weissach and will supply two additional cars to a yet-to-be-defined customer team.

Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President of Porsche Motorsport, explained that Formula E "offers a very attractive balance between effort and return" and allows for the development of technologies directly transferable to production electric sports cars.

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Operational Structure from Weissach

Both structures - factory and customer - will operate from the Weissach Development Centre. "We want to create the greatest possible independence when marketing the additional single-seaters, not simply expand our current presence," Laudenbach stated.

The executive confirmed that the expansion aims to "identify and promote new talent at all levels," including engineers as well as drivers. This 4+2 configuration makes Porsche the manufacturer with the largest individual presence on the Formula E grid.

New Gen4 Generation with 600 kW

The expansion takes advantage of the introduction of the Gen4 single-seaters, which will debut with the 2026/27 season and increase power to over 600 kW, the largest performance leap in the championship's history. Porsche sees this evolution as an opportunity to apply its accumulated experience since 2019 and establish a competitive advantage from the launch of the new era.

The 2026/27 season will coincide with the 75th anniversary of Porsche Motorsport. "Motorsport defines our identity," Laudenbach declared. "Our legacy in traditional motorsport is unique and is seen in every Porsche. We want to be able to say the same about electric motorsport in the future."

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Second WEC Exit in Eight Years

The announcement comes two months after Porsche confirmed its exit from the World Endurance Championship at the end of 2025, citing "current circumstances" amid a financial crisis that reduced its profits by 90% in the second quarter and forced a 10% reduction in its workforce before 2029.

This is the second time Porsche has abandoned the WEC to concentrate resources on electric motorsport. In 2017, it closed its LMP1 program - which cost more than 200 million annually - after three consecutive titles to develop the 99X Electric from scratch in Weissach.

The manufacturer returned to the WEC in 2023 with the 963 LMDh in the new Hypercar class, achieving significant results: the 2024 drivers' title with Kevin Estre, André Lotterer and Laurens Vanthoor, plus victories in Qatar and Fuji. It failed to win Le Mans, finishing second in 2024 just 14 seconds behind the winner with the same trio of drivers.

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Financial Crisis Drives Reallocation

The exit from the WEC saves more than 50 million euros annually, which Porsche is reallocating towards the most ambitious expansion in its history in Formula E. The problems include losses of 400 million euros due to US tariffs, a 42% drop in Chinese sales, and lower demand for electric vehicles that affected the manufacturer's electrification bets.

These factors also forced a choice between maintaining the WEC or IMSA, prioritizing the North American championship where Porsche leads the GTP standings. Laudenbach had expressed public frustration with the Balance of Performance in the WEC, specifically citing Le Mans 2024 where the #6 "should have won the race" according to his statements.

The expansion is supported by successes that justify the concentration of resources. Porsche has accumulated 13 wins and 32 podiums in six Formula E seasons, becoming constructors' champion in 2024 when Pascal Wehrlein won the drivers' title.

These results differ from the WEC program, where they achieved the 2024 drivers' title and important victories, but failed to win Le Mans despite finishing second in 2024. The exit from the WEC allows them to concentrate all resources on a single top-level category.