Porsche is going to be all about pure-electric SUVs in the coming years. The all-new Macan battery electric vehicle (BEV) is on the "home straight" for launch in 2024, says the company, to be followed by a BEV version of the Cayenne and ultimately an even larger super-luxury SUV spun off the same platform.
During Porsche's annual press conference this month, chairman of the executive board Oliver Blume emphasised the importance of the company continuing to electrify its portfolio, towards a goal of 80 per cent of new cars delivered from 2030 being BEVs.
Taycan is currently Porsche's only pure-electric model, but the company has been a proponent of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) power since 2013, with the launch of the 918 Spyder and Panamera S E-Hybrid. When the Cayenne S E-Hybrid was introduced in 2014, Porsche had more plug-in models in its range than any other brand - albeit for a very brief time.
The Macan BEV (above, testing in prototype form) has long been promised, but held up by component supply issues and extended in-house development time. It's now confirmed for next year and it's understood the all-new model will be sold alongside the current generation for some time - meaning there is no provision in the design of the new version for combustion engines.
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The Cayenne BEV is a little further off, set for a post-2025 launch. There's a major revamp of the existing model coming this year (below), which the company claims is "one of the most extensive product upgrades in the history of Porsche". It will include "three advanced plug-in hybrids with a significantly greater electric range," says Blume.
While the Cayenne BEV will be part of that same family, it will be based on the same bespoke electric SSP platform (co-developed with Audi) as the new Macan and therefore represents a whole new generation.
Blume has also confirmed development of a new super-luxury SUV-BEV that will sit above the Cayenne, on the same platform and suing the same advanced battery and high-speed charging technology.
"We see a strongly growing profit pool in this segment, in particular in China and the US," says Blume. "This is a new car concept – with a characteristic Porsche flyline, impressive performance, automated driving functions and a new interior experience. It will be based on the SSP Sport platform developed in-house at Porsche."
Porsche is promising a BEV version of the 718 Boxster/Cayman sports car for the middle of this decade - again, launched as a pure-electric model only and likely sold alongside the current petrol model to start with. It'll arrive just before the Cayenne BEV.