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There is much uncertainty surrounding the future of Porsche’s electrified program, as the company has already delayed the release of its EV-only Boxster and Cayman sports cars, while also scaling back its in-house battery development team and even axing its eBike project.
The bottom line is, this world famous manufacturer of almost unbeatable sports cars is struggling to sell its line-up of high-performance EVs in the sort of numbers that are expected by those at the very top of the business.
It feels unjust, especially given that its ground-breaking Taycan remains one of the best electric sports cars money can buy, while the latest Macan Electric arguably sits at the top of the performance SUV leaderboard.
That’s because Porsche has managed to take what makes its combustion cars great (unrivaled handling, fantastic suspension, crazy performance, cutting-edge technology) and package it for the electric era.
The third and most recent vehicle in its EV line-up just so happens to be its second global bestseller, just after the Macan, so now comes with a dizzying array of powertrain options, from pure petrol to hybrids and all-electric.
But after piloting the Cayenne Coupe Electric for a few days, Porsche continues to make a very convincing case for ditching the combustion engine.
A performance offensive
Offering monstrous performance figures is one way to make customers sit up and listen, and the latest Cayenne Turbo Electric certainly does that.
With some 1,156hp offered when Launch Control is activated, this monster of an SUV is capable of rocketing from 0-62mph in just 2.5 seconds. It’s the most powerful production Porsche ever and can reach a top speed of 162mph.
Of course, there are more sedate versions available, although even the standard Cayenne Electric delivers 442hp with overboost power and the S Electric offers 666hp. Opt for the V6 petrol-engined Cayenne Coupe and you get a measly 353hp.
It’s the most powerful production Porsche ever and can reach a top speed of 162mph.
All Electric variants ride on Porsche’s excellent adaptive air suspension. The S and Turbo versions, meanwhile, can also be specified with the Porsche Active Ride active suspension system, which automatically adjusts the dampers to eliminate body roll, effectively transforming the vehicle from a sedate and comfortable highway cruiser into something altogether more focussed.
The Cayenne Turbo Coupe Electric model I drove is designed to offer even more sportiness over the standard SUV version, in so much that it shares a broadly similar roofline to that seen on the iconic 911. The highest point of the car is also some 24mm lower than the standard model.
You can argue all day long about which version looks better (I actually prefer the SUV) but it is difficult to deny that it cuts an imposing figure on the road.
Add to this the fact that the swooping roofline is more aerodynamic, aided by very cool jet fighter-style flaps that emerge from the rear at high speed, and the result is an increased range (by up to 11 miles) of 415 miles in total. The Coupe starts to make a solid argument for itself.
The performance, particularly in the Turbo, is otherworldly. In fact, the launch control featured here is among some of the most abusive I have ever experienced.
Granted, many modern EVs deliver aggressive, impress-your-friends acceleration but the Cayenne Turbo seemingly propels its occupants into another dimension when the accelerator is floored.
Devastating dynamism
A 113kWh (108kWh usable) battery pack and two permanent magnet synchronous motors aren’t exactly the last word in lightness and, as a result, the Cayenne Electric Turbo weighs in at around two and a half tonnes.
That’s a huge amount of weight to control when the driver decides to tackle a favored backroad like a race track, but Porsche has somehow managed the otherwise impossible. This immediately feels like a true Porsche product when behind the wheel.
The steering is perfectly weighted, even at slower speeds, but rotate a dial on the steering wheel and the Cayenne Turbo scrolls through one of its many sporting modes. Sports Plus allows access to the full 857hp, while a push-to-pass button unlocks the headline 1,156hp figures.
This immediately feels like a true Porsche product when behind the wheel.
Naturally, it’s ridiculously capable of rapid overtake maneuvers, with the myriad systems keeping all four wheels in check to ensure they don’t merely spin up at each dab of the throttle.
Body control is excellent through tighter corners and the addition of an optional rear-axle-steering system, which turns the rear up to five-degrees, effectively shrinks the massive Cayenne and makes it much easier to not only thread through tighter corners, but also pilot around busy city streets.
The weather was absolutely abysmal during my test drive, making the Bavarian mountain passes feel even more intimidating than usual, but the Cayenne Electric did a fantastic job of taking the sweaty-palmed work out of driving fast.
It doesn’t feel quite as lithe and nimble as the smaller Macan model, but it’s still wildly impressive how such a large car can carve through curves and attack apexes like something half of its size.
Plus, it is worth noting that this is a car that offers up to 1,347 liters of stowage space (plus extra in the ‘frunk’) and the ability to tow up to 3.5 tonnes.
If customers want to take their madcap coupe/crossover off-road, Porsche will also sell a dedicated off-road package that toughens up the exterior for tackling rough terrain.
Life at the cutting edge
While Porsche might be best known for its dominating performance on track, it’s also emerged as a recent leader in both infotainment and EV technology.
The Cayenne Electric (including the Coupe version) charges fast, compatible with up to 390kW DC outlets, enabling 10-80 per cent top-ups in as little as 16 minutes.
It also happens to be the first model to introduce wireless induction charging as a proper optional extra, allowing customers to drive over a charging pad and enjoy speeds of up to 11kW — something that hasn’t been done by any other manufacturer yet.
I tried this technology at a prototype workshop and was impressed, but it makes even more sense when placed in a more realistic setting.
It may have lost some drama of a snarling V8, but the Cayenne Electric more than makes up for it with face-altering acceleration
Placed on a gravel driveway, with all of the cables buried beneath the surface, Porsche’s wireless charging pad looks compact, neat and proves ridiculously easy to use. Simply drive up, align some graphics on the infotainment system and charging begins. No more cable mess on your jeans during the depths of winter.
Cayenne is also the first to bring Porsche’s central Flow Display to market, which sees a beautifully curved piece of glass take pride of place in the center of the dash, This is flanked by a further two screens (if the passenger screen is optioned), resulting in a staggering 40-inches of touchable display.
It is a lot and feels like a massive departure for Porsche, but its operating system is undoubtedly one of the fastest currently on sale. The navigation can process enormous, complicated road trips in seconds, including all of the best places to stop and charge, while its voice assistant is quick and clever.
The slightly curved display is a lovely thing to behold, but it can make it slightly fiddly to reach menus that are located in that area. Although I largely found the remainder of the system very easy to navigate and intuitive to use.
Perhaps one of the biggest bugbears (and very un-Porsche things) is the inability to adjust the direction of the air vents with tactile manual levers. This now has to be done via the infotainment system… like a Tesla.
But at least Porsche offers surface heating, which essentially warms up pretty much every piece of the interior you can touch, including the central arm rests and door cards, so you can sink into a cosy palace when the cold bites.
All of this, deposited inside a vehicle that is capable of hypercar levels of performance is mind-bendingly satisfying. This is made even more impressive when you think it isn’t emitting anything from the tailpipes.
Sure, it may have lost some drama of a snarling V8, but the Cayenne Electric more than makes up for it with face-altering acceleration and the ability to round corners as if its suspension system is engineered by witchcraft.
So what’s the crux? Well, it’s always going to be price, as even the most basic versions of the Coupe Electric cost £86,200 in the UK (around $115,790 / AU$162,010). This is before you add Porsche’s ability to empty bank accounts with an entire catalogue of enticing optional extras.
What’s more, Porsche is battling with poor EV residual values like so many of its rivals, including BMW, Mercedes-Benz and more.
That’s a shame, because the Cayenne Electric (in whichever body style you choose) feels like a serious amount of car for the money.
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