Porsche has announced that within the next seven years, three of its legacy nameplates are going electric.
This comprises the popular Macan, practical Cayenne, and sporty 718 range – consisting of the Cayman and Boxster – who will be joining the Taycan to achieve the automaker’s goal of having 80% of its sales by 2030 consist of fully-electric vehicles (EV).
In addition to the converted fuel burners, Porsche revealed that it is planning to introduce an all-new SUV positioned above the Cayenne that was designed as an EV from the ground up.
While the name, specifications, and launch date of this model are yet to be made public, the manufacturer said it will be based on the SSP Sport platform, provide strong performance and automated driving functions, and offer a “completely new experience” inside the cabin.
Electric Porsche Macan Prototype
What’s coming
The first model out of the upcoming range of Porsche EVs is the Macan.
Production for the battery-powered crossover “has reached the home straight” and sales are projected to start in 2024, said the company.
The electric Macan is the first Porsche being built on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) foundation and also one of the first to be primarily developed by means of virtual testing.
Currently, there are 20 digital prototypes consistently running various simulations ensuring the vehicle performs up to standard in categories such as aerodynamics, energy management, operation, and acoustics; as well as physical units doing real-world, open-road tests to verify that the digital approximations were accurate.
Like the Taycan, the battery-electric Macan is getting 800-volt architecture to offer the “typical Porsche e-Performance” and by the time it reaches the market, the crossover will have completed over three-million test kilometres to guarantee the powertrain is able to meet customers’ needs.
Additionally, it will feature a “completely new display and operating concept” inside the cabin that is unlike anything the automaker builds today, it said.
Considering the “pace of [EV adoption] varies considerably across the world” the new-energy Macan will be offered alongside combustion-engined models, said Porsche.
Porsche 718 GT4 e-Performance Prototype
After the Macan, the next car in line to be electrified is the 718 which consists of the Cayman coupe and Boxster roadster.
Little has been revealed about these EVs thus far, only that they are scheduled to reach showrooms by the “middle of the decade” and that in the medium term, the 718 family “will only be available as an all-electric model,” said Porsche.
This suggests that the current-generation petrol-powered Caymans and Boxsters are the last of their kind.
Porsche is already piloting an electric prototype of the 718 customer racing car coined the GT4 e-Performance to gain early insights and technical know-how for when series production of the passenger vehicles commences.
The battery-motivated GT4 features two electric motors with a combined output of 800kW, it can recharge from 5-80% in as little as 15 minutes, and it weighs in at just 1,550kg.
Updated 3rd-gen Porsche Cayenne
The final legacy vehicle being converted to run solely on electricity is the fourth-generation Cayenne.
We don’t yet know exactly when this particular model is reaching the market, however, Porsche hinted that we can expect it to see the light of day before 2030.
To keep sales of the Cayenne looking healthy until then, the SUV is undergoing one of the most comprehensive mid-life updates in the brand’s history in 2023 that will see it gain a new chassis, more abilities, and three revised plug-in-hybrid powertrains.
Keyword: Porsche announces 4 electric cars – Details