Porsche and Gasoline Cars

The other day, I received a message on the blog. It was from someone working in the automotive industry overseas who had been searching online for a Porsche they might want in the future and happened to find this Porsche blog. Toward the end of their message, they wrote this:

If you don’t buy a Porsche within the next 10 years… production of gasoline cars will end due to fossil fuel regulations in Europe. That day will probably come sooner than most Japanese people expect. It’s a bittersweet feeling to think that we might only have 10 more years to roar the Porsche engine.

I thought, “Ah, I see…”

After a bit of research, I found that Norway and the Netherlands will ban sales of gasoline and diesel cars by 2025; Germany, Ireland, and India by 2030; and France, the UK, Spain, and China by 2040. Sales of gasoline and diesel vehicles will be prohibited in these countries by those dates.

2025 is just around the corner (ﾟдﾟ)!

Looking at cities individually, Amsterdam will ban all gasoline, diesel, and plug-in hybrid vehicles from 2030, and London will prohibit gasoline and diesel cars from entering the city center starting in 2030.

Countries like Norway and Sweden have already embraced electric vehicles widely, with well-developed charging infrastructure, so I thought, “Is this movement only happening in Europe?” But major North American cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, and Vancouver will also ban gasoline and diesel vehicles from their city centers by 2030.

*Source: Status of Gasoline and Diesel Vehicle Sales Bans Worldwide

Now Is the Time to Drive a Porsche

It feels like this trend will take a little longer to reach Japan, but considering international circumstances, it’s inevitable that Japan will follow this path. When that happens, owning a gasoline car in the city center might become impossible.

Even in suburban areas, even if you can own a gasoline car, if the destination area becomes off-limits, you won’t be able to freely go wherever you want like you do now.

Thinking back, smoking areas have become fewer, and I’ve heard that smokers are being pushed to the sidelines and feeling marginalized. In the future, will gasoline cars also be labeled as “smelly, noisy, bad for the environment, and a nuisance,” and be pushed aside…?

Imagining such a future honestly makes me a little sad.

That said, I understand the need to transition to electric vehicles for the sake of the planet, so it’s a tough dilemma.

In fact, there are rumors that the next Macan and Cayenne will be electric vehicles, and the Panamera will likely follow suit gradually. I also recall an automotive critic recently saying that the 911 will probably be the last Porsche with an engine.

Additionally, regarding Japan’s famous roads, I’ve heard that some toll roads have become free, leading to more tourists and deteriorating road surfaces, and that more roads are being demolished due to new bypasses.

Until now, I thought, “Someday I want to drive that road, someday I want to own that car,” but after reading the message on the blog, I realized that it’s not “someday” but while I still can—while I still have the chance—I need to drive and go.

Our kids are still young, but if I keep saying “after the kids grow up…,” 10 years will pass in no time. The times will change while we’re saying that.

Cherishing this very moment and appreciating the blessing of being able to drive a Porsche, I’ve reaffirmed my desire to keep driving from now on.