- A three-row Porsche SUV?
- Porsche Electric SUV Specifications
- Production & Release Date
- Porsche K1 SUV FAQs
- When is the Porsche K1 SUV expected?
- What is the expected price of the Porsche flagship SUV?
- Which models will be the Porsche K1 SUV rivals?
On July 18, 2022, Porsche announced new details of its second electric SUV at its 2022 Capital Markets Day. The new Porsche electric SUV will slot above the upcoming Porsche Macan Electric and likely be its new flagship model.
Background
On November 13, 2022, the Volkswagen Group announced that the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Hannover plant will build three pure electric D-SUVs as part of the Artemis project starting in 2024. These were going to be Audi, Bentley, and Porsche models. The plan, however, was withdrawn by Porsche later on.
Porsche decided to use a different platform for its future flagship electric SUV, with which it no longer made sense to manufacture it alongside the Audi and Bentley models.
Design
As seen in the teaser, Porsche refers to its future flagship electric SUV as a ‘Prestige’ model. According to a report Automobilwoche published on January 8, 2022, ‘Porsche K1’ is the codename of this upcoming Porsche electric SUV.
Porsche’s new flagship EV will be an SUV-coupe model. Image Source: Porsche (pdf)
A steeply sloping roofline gives the Porsche K1 SUV an extremely dynamic appearance. The K1 SUV could be seen as Porsche’s replacement for the Cayenne Coupe. Porsche has confirmed it will convert the Cayenne into an electric vehicle using the PPE platform, and it may make sense to do the same for the Cayenne Coupe, similar to Audi’s Q4 and e-tron carlines.
The next generation of the Macan and the Cayenne are developed based on the PPE platform, which we are developing together with Audi.
Michael Steiner, Member of the Executive Board, R&D, Porsche (Capital Markets Day on July 18, 2022)
A three-row Porsche SUV?
The Porsche K1 SUV could be a three-row SUV that competes directly with the Tesla Model X. Tesla has proved that three-row SUV coupes are possible, and maybe Porsche is interested in launching one of its own. There is strong supporting evidence for this speculation.
On November 23, 2021, a report from Automotive News said that a new Porsche flagship SUV is under development, with its key credentials being a three-row seating layout, something Porsche’s best-selling model, the Cayenne, does not offer today.
At a meeting of dealers at Porsche’s U.S. headquarters in Atlanta, Porsche revealed a rendering of this untitled new flagship SUV. Dealers describe the model as longer and wider than the Cayenne, with a “sleek” design that is part-sedan and part-crossover. Another dealer described the Porsche SUV as having a ‘flat tail’ design that looks nothing like today’s Cayenne or Macan. The description matches the attributes of the teased Porsche K1 SUV.
Porsche Electric SUV Specifications
Porsche is developing the K1 SUV using the Scalable Systems Platform (SSP), a mechatronics platform that will integrate electronics and software. Thus, this model will be more advanced than the Audi and Bentley EVs co-developed under the Artemis project and made in Hannover. Those models will be based on the PPE platform and only feature select modules of SSP, while the Porsche model will be a fully SSP-based EV.
The Porsche K1 SUV will ride on the SSP Sport platform. Image Source: YouTube/Volkswagen News
There are different versions of the SSP, and Porsche plans to use the Sport version, which should focus on performance and driving thrill. Michael Steiner said at the 2022 Capital Markets Day that Porsche is leading the development of the SSP Sport platform. Steiner is the Member of Porsche’s Executive Board responsible for Research & Development. Below is what exactly he said:
The SSP that we will use, this is SSP for the sports cars, (and it) will be developed by Porsche due to Porsche and Porsche customer demands. So, whether this will be used by other brands has to be decided by other brands in the Volkswagen Group, but it will be dedicated for Porsche cars. It will be (a) really performance-oriented luxury platform.
Michael Steiner, Member of the Executive Board, R&D, Porsche (Capital Markets Day on July 18, 2022)
In all likeliness, Porsche will use an 800-volt battery pack in the K1 SUV. With Tesla no exception, most automakers use 400-volt battery packs in their EVs. Using battery packs with significantly higher than (double in this case) the usual voltage provides improvements in continuous power, reduces the charging time, and decreases the weight and installation space of the cabling.
Range is an aspect Porsche needs to seriously improve on for its EVs. The Taycan delivers an EPA-est. of just 225 miles with its two-deck 93.4 kWh battery pack. By the time the company is ready with the K1 SUV, 350 miles could be a normal EPA-est. range for EVs of that segment. Being an SUV, this model would have more space and allow installing a higher-capacity battery pack. Plus, new developments in cell technology by then could improve efficiency.
Production & Release Date
Volkswagen Group has confirmed that the launch of SSP-based EVs will begin in 2026. Porsche hasn’t disclosed the launch timeline of its first SSP-based EV, but we think 2026 could be the year it unveils this model. The Porsche K1 SUV will be produced at the Porsche Leipzig plant in Germany.
Porsche K1 SUV FAQs
When is the Porsche K1 SUV expected?
The Porsche K1 SUV will likely be launched in 2026.
What is the expected price of the Porsche flagship SUV?
The upcoming Porsche flagship SUV could hit the USD 150,000 mark as it will be positioned above the Cayenne.
Which models will be the Porsche K1 SUV rivals?
The Porsche K1 SUV will compete with the Tesla Model X.
Featured Image Source: Porsche
Anjan Ravi Freelance Editor
A Mechanical Engineer by qualification, I started out as an automotive editor of a regional magazine in 2011. In my 11 years of experience in creating automotive content, I’ve traveled around the world to review, analyze and report on the world’s top electrified cars.
Keyword: New Porsche electric SUV could be a three-row Tesla Model X rival