Could this be the electric Cayenne? Porsche to launch all-new electric SUV following Macan EV

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While Porsche’s fully-electrified lineup consists only of the Taycan sedan and wagon at the current time, the Stuttgart brand plans to add at least three new EV models in the coming years.

Confirmed in early 2021 and in development for the best part of a decade, Porsche will add a fully-electrified Macan to its range in 2023. The Macan EV will sit on a different platform to the MLB-based petrol version, though both will be sold simultaneously under Macan badging.

According to reports from Auto Express, Porsche will bring a larger electric SUV to market after the Macan EV, and it could be as big as today’s Cayenne model. 

Auto Express referred to a statement from Porsche that said that “we plan to add a new luxury, all-electric SUV model to our attractive portfolio. It will further expand our position in the luxury automotive segment.”

What is this large electric SUV and what platform will it be based upon?

The new electric SUV will be larger than the upcoming Macan and will likely sit on the PPE (Premium Platform Electric) architecture that will also underpin the upcoming Audi Q6 e-tron and the A6 e-tron and is different to the J1 platform that is the basis for the Porsche Taycan.

The PPE platform is a Volkswagen Group platform dedicated for Audi and Porsche models, and is only suitable for larger-style vehicles such as SUVs. 

Could this then be the Cayenne EV?

Porsche could choose to follow its emerging Macan strategy and call the forthcoming large electric SUV the Cayenne. It could even be sold alongside the petrol and hybrid Cayenne models for some years – but this won’t happen until 2024 at the earliest.

While the electric technology in the Taycan is based on the J1 platform, it is likely that the Taycan’s battery packs and motor technology can be transplanted onto PPE-platform vehicles like the Macan and forthcoming Cayenne-sized SUV.

The Taycan Turbo S currently uses a 93.4Wh battery pack, which could be carried over into the SUV, however there is also a 79.2kWh option available for more entry-level models. 

Expect a model lineup from base right up to GTS and Turbo models – just like the Taycan – for this new SUV. 

We could see performance figures as high as what is currently made by the combustion-engined Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT that produces outputs of 471kW/850Nm.

Entry-level variants will obviously have less power and torque but will still be as luxurious as ever. More contentious is the question of whether the Taycan’s ride and handling – the assets that equip the car with the best body control and ride quality of any EV Chasing Cars has yet tested – can be replicated in larger, possibly heavier, higher-riding electric Porsche SUVs.