Electric Porsche Macan confirmed
Battery-powered mid-size SUV to sell alongside orthodox petrol models from early 2020sAn all-electric version of the Porsche Macan SUV will be launched in the early 2020s and it seems certain to come to Australia.
The model’s existence was confirmed in an official statement overnight after Porsche global boss Oliver Blume first revealed the news to a German publication.
The Macan EV will be Porsche’s third pure-electric model following on from the Taycan and its Taycan Cross Turismo spin-off.
The Taycan will be launched internationally late in 2019 and goes on sale in Australia in 2020. If Porsche follows a logical model cadence, the Cross Turismo and Macan will follow in 2021 and 2022.
Porsche announced little detail about the Macan EV in its official statement, but did specify the battery-electric vehicle (BEV) would feature 800-volt technology and be based on the Performance Premium Electric architecture co-developed by Porsche and Audi, rather than the MLBEvo architecture the next orthodox Macan is expected to migrate to.
The confirmation of the EV is also understood to put the nail in the coffin of a Macan plug-in hybrid. Instead, PHEV technology is expected to be reserved for the larger and heavier Cayenne and Panamera models as well as the iconic 911 sports car.
There have also been suggestions Boxster and Cayman sports cars will adopt full-on EV technology rather than hybrid. The Macan BEV strategy would seem to back that up.
“Electromobility and Porsche go together perfectly; not just because they share a high efficiency approach, but especially because of their sporty character,” said Blume in the official statement.
“By 2022 we will be investing more than six billion euros in electric mobility, and by 2025 50 per cent of all new Porsche vehicles could have an electric drive system.
“Nevertheless, over the next ten years we will focus on a drive mix consisting of even further optimised petrol engines, plug-in hybrid models, and purely electrically operated sports cars. Our aim is to take a pioneering role in technology, and for this reason we will continue to consistently align the company with the mobility of the future.”
The Macan BEV’s primary market will be China, where SUVs are very popular and the government is pushing the electrification of the vehicle market. Obvious rivals will include the BMW iX3 SUV.
The electric Macan will be built alongside orthodox petrol-powered Macans at the Leipzig plant in Germany and both will be sold in Australia.
Logically, its introduction would coincide with the launch of a new-generation Macan. In Australia, the first facelift of the first generation five-seat Macan has just gone on sale. You can read our first drive review of the updated Macan S from tomorrow afternoon (February 28).
Porsche Cars Australia is currently preparing for the influx of its new EV line-up, with a dedicated working group ensuring it and its dealer network are set up to handle them.
It is also assessing the various charging networks currently being developed and how it might align with them.
The Taycan is expected to be pitched in price in Australia roughly between the Cayenne and Panamera, which is a pretty broad range and could mean anything from $150,000-$250,000.
“We already have a lot of interest in the Taycan,” said PCA spokesman Chris Jordan. “We are seeing interest from a lot of existing 911 owners that are interested in buying a Taycan.”
No pricing has yet been forecast for the Macan BEV.
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