Of all the luxury carmakers having to undergo the shift from ICE to EV, perhaps Porsche is doing it most convincingly. As a well-established company with a solid core of familiar, globally recognised products, Porsche has had to edge its way into EV territory, building trust and credibility along the way.
The new Porsche Cayenne Electric
It started this process with a dedicated EV, the hugely impressive Taycan, before following on with the first ICE model to be transformed into an EV, the Macan. Now it’s the turn of the model that provided Porsche with its bread and butter throughout the noughties, the Cayenne SUV. Admittedly, bets are still being hedged, as ICE and hybrid versions of both the Macan and Cayenne will continue to be available for the foreseeable future.
The new Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric
However, the Cayenne Electric certainly ticks the boxes marked innovation, quality and performance. Debuting with the ‘regular’ Cayenne Electric and more sporting Cayenne Turbo Electric, Porsche is throwing out stats like 2.5 seconds to 62mph and a range of 398 miles. Please note, as always, that in the world of electric cars, these two statistics are very much mutually exclusive.
The new Porsche Cayenne Electric
That’s not to say that there aren’t some big strides being made in efficiency and convenience, not least in charging speed. The top spec model can cope with 400kW fast charging, capable of taking the new 113 kWh battery from 10 to 80 per cent in under 16 minutes. According to Porsche, a ten-minute charge at a suitable power point could provide enough energy for the regular Cayenne to travel 202 miles (196 miles in the Turbo).
For the first time, a Porsche is available with wireless charging
Most interestingly of all, the Cayenne Electric will be the first Porsche to offer support for inductive charging at rates of up to 11kW. The new Porsche Wireless Charging system is activated by simply parking above the floor plate ‘charge pad’ for the process to start automatically.
The Cayenne Turbo Electric's horizontal front headlights
Visually, the new Cayenne follows the cleaner aesthetic set up by the smaller Macan, with a horizontal emphasis on the lights, front and rear, more pronounced wheelarches and cleaner lines.
Rear three-quarter view of Cayenne Electric
The most notable elements are the pronounced crease on the lower half of the doors, setting up a shadow line that blends into the rear wheel arch. Below this, a raised sill detail offsets the car’s balance, giving it a more forward-focused stance and reducing the overall bulk. The Cayenne Turbo is distinguished by the vertical air vents behind the rear wheel arches, which add to the sense of width and give the car a more sporting stance.
The Cayenne Turbo Electric has a wider, more aggressive stance
As well as the wireless charging system, there’s the usual long list of Porsche options, ranging from ceramic composite brakes (not strictly necessary in a car that’s said to do 97 per cent of its daily braking requirements via the electric motor regen system), to rear-axle steering, active suspension and a package of enhancements that beef up the Cayenne’s ability off-road.
Dashboard, Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric
Inside, the cabin is an evolution of Porsche’s class-leading interior design, with a scattering of analogue controls alongside a veritable cliff face of screens. These are mitigated slightly by the clear, sober graphic design of Porsche’s HMI, while the driver display features a prominently curved OLED screen. Also available is an AR-equipped heads-up display
Detail design, Porsche Cayenne Electric
Interior mood lighting has become more interactive, while there’s also a liquid crystal panoramic roof, similar to those used by Lotus and Audi. To keep HVAC energy consumption down, the heating system doesn’t just warm the seats but also armrests and door panels.
Liquid crystal panoramic roof, Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric
Petrolheads might grumble at the cultural appropriation of their beloved forced induction, but the new Cayenne Electric Porsche has well and truly doubled down on the use of the word 'Turbo' to denote a performance EV. The real question is whether an all-electric Cayenne can be the same kind of economic saviour as its predecessors.
Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric
Porsche Cayenne Electric, from £83,200, Cayenne Turbo Electric from £130,900, more information at Porsche.co.uk, @Porsche
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