- Is the Porsche Macan going electric?
- The obvious benchmark is the Porsche Taycan sedan
- Porsche completely redesigned the Macan for 2022
We know two very important things about the Porsche Macan. One, the company has promised us that we will see an EV version of it in 2024. Two, it’s Porsche’s best-selling model, so any updates or significant changes should sell very, very, well. But when it comes to that EV Macan, what can we expect to see?
Is the Porsche Macan going electric?
2022 Porsche Macan | Porsche
Porsche has confirmed that there will be a Macan EV SUV. We don’t know much about it, but the company has said it will have more range than the Taycan sedan and that it will use that car’s 800-volt system that makes nearly 500 horsepower. The Taycan sedan is seriously quick, and quiet, and has a special quick-charging system. How much will an EV Macan cost will likely depend on the trim you pick, but if the Taycan is any measure, it’s likely going to start at nearly $90,000.
The Macan EV should be one of the first vehicles to use the Volkswagen Group’s new Premium Platform Electric architecture. That EV platform will eventually underpin many EVs from the Volkswagen group, like VWs, Audis, and possibly even a future Lamborghini. But we can also expect an all-electric Boxster sports car and Cayenne SUV to use the platform, too.
2023 Porsche Macan | Porsche
According to Forbes, the Macan EV was supposed to debut next year. But, bugs and software issues have delayed the launch. While the company makes the Taycan EV sedan now, the Macan has different needs because it’s an SUV and will require a different platform.
The obvious benchmark is the Porsche Taycan sedan
2023 Porsche Taycan | Porsche
The Macan EV will likely take after the four-wheel-drive, five-seat, all-electric Taycan. The Taycan is Porsche’s all-electric sedan, and it comes in several variants that could give us insight into how Porsche may design the Macan EV. The Taycan 4S, which is all-wheel drive, has a two-speed transmission, which is unique in the EV world, and would make sense for an SUV that may want to go off-road. It also comes as a rear-wheel drive sedan.
The standard Performance Battery makes 402 horsepower. The optional Performance Battery Plus has up to 469 horsepower. Porsches, though, are supposed to sound like Porsches, so the company integrated the sound of a (low-tech) 1960s 356 into the cabin. You can hear the Taycan’s engine note HERE.
Porsche completely redesigned the Macan for 2022
For 2022, the Macan got a huge redesign that updated the SUV but kept its personality and good looks. The 2022 Macan has the classic sloping nose from the iconic 911 that preserves forward visibility, but the backend and high beltline of an SUV. The rear got a striking diffuser that is a telltale sign you’re looking at a 2022, and not a 2021.
The base 2022 Macan has a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that now makes 261 horsepower and can zip this hot hatch to 60 in just 5.8 seconds. But those with heavier right feet will like the GTS version that puts out 375 horsepower and can take this SUV to 160 mph. The new Macan S also comes with Porsche’s active suspension system standard. These SUVs are not cheap, though, with the S starting at about $67,000 and the GTS at $79,900.
Keyword: Could the 2024 Porsche Macan EV Be the Hottest EV SUV, Ever?