No Need to Sound the Alarm
Porsche released its Q3 2026 U.S. sales results, and while the numbers look unflattering on paper, the automaker said the results were “in line with expectations.” That’s because much of the decline came from the 718, which stopped taking orders from American buyers last year.
Total Q3 2026 U.S. sales were 16,026 units, down 12.9% compared to the same period last year. Porsche only sold eight 718 units from July to September 2026, a huge dip from the 1,719 units sold in Q3 2025. Likewise, year-to-date 2026 sales were down 14.1% to 49,038 vehicles, with the 718 recording only 252 sales, representing a 95.3% decline.
Betting Big on Batteries
With the gas-powered Porsche 718 now discontinued, all eyes are on the next-gen models, which were at one point expected to arrive with gas and electric options. However, recent developments indicate that the nameplate will be fully electric. The upcoming version will use the automaker’s 800-volt E-Core architecture, which aims to preserve the balance of the outgoing gas models, largely thanks to its battery packaging.
Interestingly, however, the all-electric Taycan was the second-worst-selling model in Porsche’s latest U.S. sales report. The EV only sold 537 units in Q3 2026, down 65.4% year-over-year. It also sold just 1,616 units from January to September 2026, down 55.6% compared to the same period in 2025. In addition, the Macan, whose gas version ended production in July 2026, also posted declining sales, allowing the Cayenne to overtake it as the brand’s best-selling model in Q3 2026 in the U.S.
With the 718 becoming fully electric, it will be interesting to see how the upcoming sports car fares sales-wise, especially in the U.S., where Porsche vehicles continue to be subjected to import tariffs.
Porsche
The Road Ahead
Porsche has assured that the 911 will not become fully electric, though it is now available with some form of electrification through the T-Hybrid powertrain. The 911 saw its Q3 2026 sales decline by 4.3% to 3,300 units, but posted strong year-to-date sales of 11,778 vehicles, up 32.8%.
The German marque is expected to launch the all-electric 718 in 2027, with 2028 marking its first full year of production. Whether the car market will become more welcoming to EVs by that time remains to be seen. Once the model launches, it could eventually face competition from upcoming electric sports cars such as the Tesla Roadster and Alpine A110 EV, the latter of which was undergoing U.S. crash testing earlier this year.
Porsche
