Porsche has unveiled its second electric SUV with the new Cayenne. In the Stuttgart-based company’s revised strategy, the Cayenne Electric is no longer the only way forward, but part of a ‘three-pronged drive strategy’ alongside combustion engines and hybrids. One thing remains clear: if you want to drive the most powerful Cayenne, there’s no getting around the new electric model.
The new Cayenne has celebrated its virtual world premiere, and with it, the final specifications have been revealed. There will be two variants at launch, the Cayenne Electric and Cayenne Turbo Electric. The latter briefly delivers 850 kW (1,156 hp) and 1,500 Nm of torque in launch control mode.
This allows the electric turbo to catapult itself from 0 to 100 kph in 2.5 seconds, with a top speed of 260 kph. In normal driving mode, the power output remains 630 kW, equivalent to 857 hp.
By way of comparison: The most powerful Cayenne with a combustion engine is the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid, a PHEV. It has a specified system output of 544 kW and can accelerate from 0-100 kph in 3.7 seconds in the best-case scenario.
Electric is the ultimum
No one needs peak outputs of 850 kW or 630 kW in normal driving mode. In the luxury segment, however, it’s not usually about constantly exploiting all capabilities to the full. But you could if you wanted to, because you know you’re sitting in the most powerful Cayenne ever. And in the future, it will be electric.
Even the ‘basic’ electric model, the Cayenne Electric, outperforms the basic combustion engine model: it delivers 300 kW in regular operation and 325 kW with Launch Control, as well as 835 Nm of torque. This means that even the least powerful electric Cayenne can still accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in 4.8 seconds, with a top speed of 230 kph.
The Cayenne Electric and the Turbo version differ significantly in their drive systems, namely the oil-cooled electric motor on the rear axle. The base model uses the familiar permanently excited synchronous motors from Porsche’s first PPE model, the Macan.
However, the battery in the electric Cayenne is always the same: it offers a gross energy content of 113 kWh, of which around 108 kWh are usable net. Porsche has chosen a completely different battery concept from the one used in the Macan: six individual modules are installed in the Cayenne’s underbody and are no longer integrated into a common battery pack; they are connected individually via a frame. And the modules use pouch cells rather than prismatic cells.
More than 600 km range, inductive charging possible
The official WLTP range data for the world premiere have now been released: the Cayenne Electric achieves a combined WLTP range of up to 642 kilometers, while the Cayenne Turbo Electric has a maximum range of 623 kilometers.
Given the difference in performance, the range difference is relatively slight. With the 800-volt system, 325 kilometers (Turbo: 315 km) can be recharged in ten minutes, and the standard charging process from 10 to 80% is expected to take about 16 minutes.
Porsche is not really concerned with achieving the highest possible peak charging power for a short period, but rather with achieving the most robust charging behavior possible.
Depending on the battery’s condition, the battery management system determines the optimal power level to achieve the best possible charging behavior, so the driver only has to stay at the charging station for as long as necessary. An 11 kW onboard charger is installed for AC charging, but despite the battery capacity of over 100 kWh, a 22 kW option is not currently available.
However, the Cayenne debuts another charging option for home use: an optional 11 kW inductive charging system. In addition to a device on the underbody, the system, called ‘Porsche Wireless Charging’, also consists of a floor plate. The car only needs to be parked on this plate, and the charging process starts automatically.
Also practical
The focus is also on practicality in other areas: with a loading volume of up to 781 liters to the top edge of the rear seats, the Cayenne Electric has the largest boot in the series to date. With the rear seat backs folded down, the Cayenne can hold up to 1,588 liters, plus the 90 liters of the frunk under the front hood.
The towing capacity is up to 3.5 tons. This does not depend on the drive system, but on the equipment: the ramp angle changes depending on which rear apron the Cayenne is equipped with. And with a towing capacity of 3.5 tons, the authorities specify a certain ramp angle that the sportier variants cannot achieve. In this case, the maximum towing capacity is 3.0 tons.
Compared to the combustion-engine Cayenne, the new electric version is 5.5 cm longer at 4.99 m. The wheelbase has even increased by 13 cm to 3.02 m. This means that rear passengers in particular should have more space than ever before. The rear seats are also electrically adjustable ex works and can be flexibly adjusted between a comfort position and a cargo position for maximum load space.
Active aerodynamics
The aerodynamics are also adjustable: the Porsche Active Aerodynamics (PAA) system adapts the aerodynamic properties “precisely to the respective driving situation and speed.” Movable cooling air flaps are installed in the lower front section and open or close as required for cooling. It results in an excellent Cd of 0.25.
The adaptive roof spoiler can also be adjusted. However, by far the most striking feature is the active ‘aeroblades’ on the Cayenne Turbo. These are located on the rear sides of the vehicle and can be extended and retracted. “They extend the side break lines and improve the flow characteristics, which leads to an increase in range, especially at higher speeds,” explains Porsche.
The base model does without these aeroblades and also has a slightly different front bumper design than the Turbo. The headlights and hood, on the other hand, are the same: Porsche has once again opted for one-piece headlights.
Recently, there has been a trend among car designers to use only LED daytime running lights as visually striking elements and to integrate the actual headlights more inconspicuously into the bumper. This is not the case with the Cayenne, which once again features classic headlights in the typical Porsche look. The rear is also immediately recognizable as a Porsche thanks to the continuous LED strip, but not necessarily as an electric model.
Porsche Driver Experience
The heart of the new Porsche Driver Experience is the ‘Flow Display’, a curved OLED panel that also includes the center console. The instrument panel is a 14.25-inch OLED screen, and there’s an optional 14.9-inch OLED display for the front passenger.
A Porsche first is the head-up display with AR technology. Controls that are often used (airco, audio volume, etc.) remain analogue. A hand support, called the Ferry Pad, enables the driver to use all controls ergonomically.
Porsche Digital Interaction is a digital control philosophy that enhances the driving experience by individualizing functions and providing rapid access to them. Apps can be downloaded from the Porsche App Center, and an AI-steered Voice Pilot can answer complex, mutually related questions. Porsche Digital Key allows the smartphone or smartwatch car key to be shared with up to seven other users.
Pricing and strategy
In terms of price, the two new electric models also fit rather inconspicuously into the Cayenne series… if you want to describe six-figure prices as inconspicuous. At €108,148, the Cayenne Electric is slightly more expensive in Belgium than the basic combustion engine model (€104,106), but it also delivers more than its 260 kW.
And although the new Cayenne Turbo Electric is by far the most powerful Cayenne, it is not the most expensive: it can be ordered from €169,461, making it far cheaper than the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid PHEV. The latter costs at least €196,200 in Belgium.
“Inspiring customers is our top priority at Porsche. With the electrification of the Cayenne, we are achieving a new level of performance that sets standards for the future. At the same time, we will continue to develop the Cayenne with efficient combustion and hybrid drives well into the next decade,” says Matthias Becker, Member of the Executive Board, Sales and Marketing.
“This strategy also applies to Porsche’s entire model portfolio: in every segment in which we are represented, customers will in the future have the choice between fully electric and combustion engine drives.”
