Porsche Cayenne Electric lands in Australia

The Porsche Cayenne Electric and its Coupé counterpart have arrived in the country, priced from $167,700 for the entry-level model and topping out at $272,000 for the gobsmacking Cayenne Turbo Coupé Electric. The range comprises three powertrain types and two body styles, for six variants altogether, with the Cayenne S Electric splitting the range.

Unlike its smaller sibling, the Porsche Macan, the Cayenne Electric will sell alongside its internal-combustion and hybrid counterparts in Australian showrooms.

According to VFACTS, the Cayenne, the Cayenne Coupé and the evergreen 911 are the only Porsche models year-to-date that have not suffered a setback in sales. The Cayenne Electric will bolster overall sales for the marque.

As standard, all Cayenne Electric variants are fitted with nine airbags, tyre-pressure monitoring, LED headlights and a range of active safety measures, including blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, front and rear cross-traffic warning, driver-fatigue monitoring and pedestrian detection.

The base-grade Cayenne Electric features a 10-speaker audio system, satellite navigation, powered and heated front seats with position memory, and dual-zone climate control.

Moving up to the Cayenne S Electric brings Matrix LED headlights, heated and ventilated front seats, a 14-speaker audio system and four-zone climate control.

The Cayenne Turbo Electric gains heated and ventilated front seats, an upgraded braking system, larger 21-inch alloy wheels, Alcantara trim and sports pedals.

Mechanically, the Cayenne Electric is built on the Audi Q6 e-tron platform and embraces electronic technology from the Volkswagen Group's MLB Evo architecture.

Each powertrain variant has two electric motors, one for each axle. Output ranges from 325kW and 835Nm to 850kW and 1500Nm for the Cayenne Turbo Electric, with the Cayenne S Electric splitting the difference at 490kW and 1080Nm.

Porsche claims the flagship of the range can hit 100km/h from a standing start in just 2.5 seconds. Even the mid-grade Cayenne S Electric will reach 100km/h in 3.8 seconds, which is not slow either.

Torque for all Cayenne Electric variants is supplied via a single-speed reduction gear for each axle, unlike the Taycan sedan, with its two-speed rear axle.

The Cayenne Turbo Electric can also generate 600kW of recovered energy from braking.

Porsche has gone to considerable lengths to ensure the Cayenne Electric will not burn out or demagnetise its electric motors through overheating (150 degrees or higher).

A direct-cooling system relies on oil to transfer heat away from the copper windings for the rear motor of the Cayenne S and Turbo Electric models.

The front motor is also cooled, but by indirect means only, transferring heat via oil pumped through the rotor.

A 113kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt-aluminium battery provides a range of up to 653km on a single charge, depending on the variant, and the 800V electrical system permits recharging at up to 400kW. That allows the battery charge to rise from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in 16 minutes, given a sufficiently fast DC charger.

Pouch cells for the Cayenne Electric are supplied by LG Chem, but the battery pack is assembled at Porsche's state-of-the-art factory in Horná Streda, Slovakia.

Every variant rides on adjustable air suspension, while alloy wheel sizes range from 20 inches in diameter up to optional 22-inch wheels. Active suspension is an option, as is an off-road package.

With sales of the broader Cayenne range remaining resilient in Australia, Porsche appears well placed to add another high-performance electric offering without sacrificing demand for its petrol and hybrid models.

How much does the Porsche Cayenne Electric cost?
Cayenne Electric – $167,700
Cayenne S Electric – $193,000
Cayenne Turbo Electric – $259,800
Cayenne Coupé Electric – $173,500
Cayenne S Coupé Electric – $194,500
Cayenne Turbo Coupé Electric – $272,000
*Prices exclude on-road costs

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