Porsche made waves when it announced the next-generation Macan would feature an all-electric model. The company just released its first EV, the Taycan sport sedan, and is already preparing to branch out into the hotter compact SUV segment.
The Macan is due for a redesign anyway, but Porsche’s two-pronged strategy is unusual. There will be both conventional, gas-powered Macans and the pure electric model—likely built on different platforms given how incompatible the packaging requirements are.
The electric Macan will be built on the PPE platform co-designed by Audi and Porsche for the Volkswagen Group’s premium electric cars. The standard Macan will continue on the MLB Evo platform for gas and hybrid vehicles (though rumor has it the gas-powered Macan might not make it more than a few years before the model goes all-electric).
The PPE platform is the common “skateboard” type with the batteries under the floor and between the axles. It can be rear- or all-wheel drive with a single or dual motors, and we expect the Macan to offer both options. It can also be fitted with air suspension and rear-wheel steering.
Using everything Porsche and Audi have learned with the Taycan and E-Tron models, we think the Macan will have 800-volt fast charging capability and incredible performance (and hopefully better range than the Audi). Word has it Porsche will continue with its trim level naming scheme, so get used to seeing Turbo on the back of electric Macans just like the Taycan.
At least one Porsche official has been quoted as saying production of the Macan EV will be begin by the end of 2022. The standard Macan will likely precede it by a few months. With the added cost of batteries, we suspect the electric Macan will be the pricier powertrain, likely starting around $65,000.
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