Porsche Macan to remain EV only, new hybrid SUV in the wings

Porsche has ruled out a return to petrol power for its best-selling Macan SUV, but the brand says it may soon have an all-new hybrid-powered alternative to bolster its ranks at the more affordable end of the luxury market.

Acknowledging that the Macan’s 2024 switch to battery power will cost it sales – likely surging the Cayenne to the top of the sales charts for the brand in Australia – the company doesn’t anticipate a drop in the desire to own a Porsche, playing nicely into the exclusivity pitch that is part of the appeal at the top end of town.

And the sports car brand – that relies on SUVs for the bulk of its sales – has confirmed it’s working on another model line that could fill the Macan ICE void as buyer hesitation towards EVs lingers.

“The Macan is electric, and the Macan will stay electric – period,” Porsche Australia CEO and managing director Daniel Schmollinger said.

Some of Porsche’s attention therefore will switch to the bigger Cayenne five-seater which, at $141,700 plus on-road costs, is more expensive than both the Macan Electric (from $128,400) and the outgoing Macan petrol that started from $94,000.

The Macan typically accounts for almost half of Porsche sales in Australia and in recent years, has been outselling the Cayenne three-to-one.

That Porsche believes the Cayenne will overtake the Macan is indicative of a shift in Porsche showrooms and could lead to record sales for the flagship SUV since it’s expected to be front and centre for those not ready to shift to an EV just yet.

“We are not targeting to have a record (year in 2025),” Schmollinger said, acknowledging the Macan will slip from the top sales spot it has held since hitting the market in 2014.

“It will still be a significant (sales) number, but we don’t expect the Macan Electric to be the biggest volume (Porsche) – this wasn’t our expectation.

“We see a big momentum in Cayenne, which is perfect because we think the Cayenne is an amazing car.”

Longer term, Schmollinger said a new SUV could join the Porsche ranks. That’s on top of the 2027 all-electric Cayenne that will be sold alongside a new version of the current car, as well as a new seven-seat SUV due around the same time.

He reiterated that moving forward the Macan would never return to petrol power.

“There won’t be a petrol Macan. There might be an SUV, but it’s not a Macan.”

Schmollinger revealed the interest in hybrid vehicles meant the company was actively looking at alternatives.

“There are opportunities in the SUV segment and we are observing and evaluating how the future will look,” he said, pointing to comments made at Porsche’s annual press conference last week.

In the accompanying press release, Porsche said it was “currently evaluating an independent model line in the SUV segment with combustion and hybrid powertrains” and that such a model would arrive towards the end of the decade.

Said model would also leverage components from within the Volkswagen Group; in the past Porsche has shared plenty with sister brand Audi, which will soon launch a new-generation Q5 mid-sized SUV.

Schmollinger was also confident the new Macan Electric will pick up pace as buyers increasingly embrace EVs.

“We still see opportunities that the Macan Electric will take off,” he said.

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