The Volkswagen Group has hinted that its Porsche brand will launch a battery-electric model in the next few years. The company is also planning to launch a hydrogen fuel cell model under the Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche brands.

Speaking the evening before the VW Group annual conference, research and development boss Ulrich Hackenberg teased the new models during a presentation of future technology.

There’s no news on what type of Porsche will be battery-powered, but some industry rumours have suggested that it will be a version of a planned smaller five-door hatchback similar in concept to the Panamera.

VW’s own fuel cell vehicle will be based on the front-wheel drive MQB platform. Hackenberg said the MQB architecture had been designed from the outset to accommodate all types of powertrain from petrol and diesel to gas power, plug-in hybrid, battery and hydrogen fuel cell. There’s no news as to the likely launch dates of these new vehicles.

Hackenberg also revealed a host of new technology being developed for the new Audi A8, including the use of sensors and autonomous driving technology. Such systems are likely to become more affordable by the end of this decade and could be incorporated into the next-generation version of the MQB architecture.

This suggests that ‘piloted driving’ versions of future Golf and Passat-sized cars are possible by 2020.