Porsche shuts down battery subsidiary Cellforce and Cetitec

Porsche is continuing its strategic retreat from peripheral ventures: following its exit from Croatian EV startup Rimac, the Stuttgart-based sports car maker is now closing Cellforce, its battery cell development subsidiary. The remaining 50 employees will lose their jobs as the project — originally focused on high-performance lithium-ion cells for motorsport applications — is wound down entirely.

Cellforce was established to develop and produce advanced battery cells tailored to the demanding requirements of high-performance electric vehicles and motorsport. Despite its innovative ambitions, the unit failed to establish a viable commercial footing, and a challenging market environment for premium EVs accelerated the decision to shut it down.

The restructuring goes further: Porsche is also ending its e-bike drive unit business and dissolving Cetitec, a software subsidiary specialising in embedded systems and electronic control units for the automotive industry. Together, these closures reflect a deliberate narrowing of Porsche's innovation portfolio.

The moves come as the broader Volkswagen Group faces significant pressure to cut costs and streamline operations. For the EV market, the Cellforce closure underscores the difficulty of scaling niche battery cell ventures in an era where established Asian cell manufacturers dominate on cost. Porsche appears to be doubling down on its core sports car identity rather than pursuing vertical integration in battery technology.