Porsche wants the numbers for its first-ever electric SUV to add up to more than the others offer. And the data on the upcoming Macan is impressive…
Snapshot
- 2024 Porsche Macan EV to offer speedier ultra-rapid fast charging
- Expected to launch in flagship dual-motor, all-wheel-drive guise at launch
- Current internal-combustion Macan to be sold alongside electric model, at least initially
It is expected to offer around 450kW and more than 1000Nm, with an 800-volt battery pack capable of storing 100kWh of electrical energy.
All this, and more, was revealed at Porsche's recent Next Level E-Performance media workshop in Italy.
Porsche promises the Macan EV will be the sportiest SUV in its very competitive segment and have best-in-class performance.
While the company isn't yet ready to disclose the EV's driving range, it says its development targets include "long-range capability and high-performance fast charging".
Due in 2024 – following a 12-month software-related delay – the Macan will be the first Porsche EV to use the versatile and scalable PPE electric vehicle architecture co-developed with Audi.
"Technically, it's also suitable for every category in B, C and D segments," said a Porsche spokesperson.
“This means everything from small to large vehicles, though Porsche has a specific role in mind for PPE.
"We are aiming for the SUV types right now."
The Macan EV will deliver speedier DC charging than the 270kW rate of the Taycan.
Connected to a high-power DC charger, it will take "less than 25 minutes" for the new SUV's state of charge to rise from five to 80 per cent.
And the Porsche's 800-volt battery will fill quickly even when connected to a high-power 400-volt DC charger. In this case, high-voltage switches inside the battery pack divide it into two identical 400-volt packs, which are then charged in parallel. This avoids the need for an onboard voltage booster at the same time as reducing charging time.
Though the first Macan EVs going into production will be high-performance dual-motor variants with all-wheel drive, however, single-motor rear-drive versions are also possible.
The PPE platform's rear motor is mounted low down and behind the axle line. This will give the Macan EV a slightly rearward 48/52 front/rear weight distribution, even in all-wheel-drive form.
Reflecting this, there will be a greater difference between front and rear tyre widths on the EV than on any existing Macan model. Wheel sizes up to 22-inch will be available, Porsche says.
The Macan EV's motors are a new design. Though they are the same permanent magnet synchronous type as in the Taycan, the magnets are aligned differently in the laminated steel rotor. This, Porsche claims, brings a boost in power density compared to the Taycan’s tech.
Another advance, compared to the Taycan, is the adoption of faster-switching and more energy-efficient silicon carbide semiconductors in the rear motor's inverter.
Significant changes to the double A-arm front and multi-link rear suspensions of the Macan are also promised. Rear-wheel steering will also be offered for the first time in any Macan, and top-grades will be equipped with a torque-vectoring rear differential.
Porsche plans to offer the new Macan EV alongside the existing version of its big-selling SUV, at least initially. But it doesn't take a genius to predict that as the Macan EV lineup expands, the ICE-powered range will likely shrink.
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