It’s crunch time for Porsche’s popular crossover model. Not long after the official announcement for the all-new Macan T—albeit as part of the existing petrol-powered platform—more details about the upcoming Macan EV surfaced.
This has been accompanied by spy shots, along with statements provided by Porsche’s brass, which help paint a picture of what the next-gen-fully-electric Macan will look like and what it has in store in terms of performance and range. It has been long known, though not necessarily broadly known, that the Macan roster is next in line for the succession and proliferation of Porsche’s blossoming electric dynasty.
It’s straight to full-on EV mode for the Macan too, so Porschephiles who were hoping for a “best of both worlds” E-Hybrid option in between, will have to be content with a Panamera and Cayenne for now. Porsche have already hinted that a hybrid version of their flagship 911 is in the works, while it’s also understood that the Cayman/Boxster will follow the Macan’s lead in becoming fully electric for its next generation of models.
Electric Drivetrain
The new Macan EV will carry over the 800V architecture used in the Porsche Taycan, but most notably improves upon it from a range standpoint. Despite expectations that the Taycan was always going to be more of a sporty/performance platform, its less impressive range—particularly when compared to its direct competition—has remained a point of contention since its release.
Porsche has addressed this for the upcoming Macan EV by reportedly increasing battery capacity to well above 100 kWh, compared to (a maximum of) 93.4 kWh for the Taycan roster. Parent company, Volkswagen Auto Group, has already targeted over 600 km of range for this new platform, which it plans to incorporate in other models and brands within the conglomerate. Charging capabilities will remain at least as good as the “5%-80% in 23 mins at a level 3 charger, with a speed capacity of up to 350 kW” benchmark.
Performance, from a traditional standpoint, remains a bit more of a mystery at this time. However, through the Taycan, we know that it’s easy enough to move the horsepower dial any which way, without having to change much of anything else. Therefore, it is expected that we’ll see a familiar lineup of Macans for the next-gen EV roster, which will progress from a base model all the way up to a Turbo variant.
In theory, the new electric platform should unlock more power across the range. So, a base model with around 300 hp, 350 hp in the S, becoming 450 hp in a GTS, then 550 hp in the range-topping Turbo (or even Turbo S) model, seems like an educated guess at this time. If Porsche also delivers on the improvements to range, I think they’re onto something pretty significant here, as this should allow the new Macan models to retain their status as the company’s breadwinner in this new era.
