Porsche to build first-, second-gen Macan side-by-side 

Not every market will be ready for an electric-only line-up.

Porsche recently announced the second-generation Macan due out in 2021 will be offered with an electric drivetrain. At the time, we weren't sure if it would be electric-only, or if it would offer a gasoline-powered option. The company has revealed it will make both powertrain types available, but not in the same car. It will indefinitely keep two generations of the SUV on sale in certain markets.

"The petrol-engine Macan will continue to be produced alongside the new electric PPE-based Macan in Leipzig,” a Porsche spokesperson told British magazine Autocar. The representative added the firm doesn't know how long the transition period will last.

The PPE platform that will underpin the second-generation Macan is being developed jointly by Porsche and Audi to underpin electric vehicles. The current, first-generation Macan (pictured) is based on the MLB architecture, which also underpins several Audi models. Autocar learned the next Macan will look a lot like its predecessor inside and out even though it will be built on completely different bones. This strategy will ensure the gasoline-powered car won't look or feel considerably older than its electric sibling.

"The move to a fully electric model line-up is suitable for certain markets but, due to a lack of infrastructure and other hurdles, it is yet not possible in other markets. We are constantly monitoring the situation and can react accordingly," Porsche added.

What that means for the United States is up in the air at this point. The Stuttgart-based firm hasn't revealed if we're one of the markets in which the current-generation Macan will survive, or if we'll spearhead its shift towards electric vehicles. Norway and China, however, are expected to figure on the list of countries in which the Macan will go batteries-only.