STUTTGART -- Porsche has raised the number of jobs it will create for the production of its first all-electric sports car to more than 1,400 from more than 1,000 previously.
More than 1,200 of the new positions will be created at the brand's base in Zuffenhausen, near Stuttgart, Germany, the automaker said in a statement today.
Porsche is also seeking about 100 information technology specialists, 50 digital experts and more apprentices, part of an industrywide hiring push as carmakers try to compete with Google and Apple in connected-car technology.
Porsche's personnel chief Andreas Haffner told journalists today that there is a "war for talent" underway.
Porsche is building a new paint shop and assembly line in Zuffenhausen for the battery-powered Mission E, which is due to go into production in 2020 as a rival to the Tesla Model S.
Porsche unveiled the 600-horsepower Mission E concept at the Frankfurt auto show in September. The four-door car accelerates from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in under 3.5 seconds, beating the 911’s 4.2 seconds to reach that speed. The Mission E will be designed to drive more than 500 km (310 miles) before needing a recharge.
Porsche has doubled its workforce to 26,200 people since 2010 to keep up with booming demand for its Cayenne and Macan SUVs. It says it receives more than 140,000 job applications a year and has a staff turnover rate of just 0.6 percent.
Porsche is spending about 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) to introduce the production Mission E, a cornerstone of parent Volkswagen Group’s broader push to move beyond its emissions-cheating crisis by offering more low- and zero-emission vehicles.
Bloomberg and Automotive News Europe contributed to this report
