When it goes on sale in the first half of 2024, the Porsche Macan Electric will be a long way off. It comes more than four years after the Taycan, Porsche’s first electric model. It won’t be the first electric 5-seater crossover on the market. But the German performance car brand promises it will be the sportiest model ever.
The battery-powered Macan will be the first vehicle to use the VW Group’s new electric vehicle architecture for premium brands. Called PPE (short for Premium Platform Electric), it will be the foundation for future electric cars from Audi and Bentley. It joins the already produced MEB mass-market platform, for the Volkswagen ID.4 and Audi Q4 e-tron among others. PPE replaces Porsche’s J1 platform (Taycan, Audi e-tron GT) and Audi’s MLB-Evo (e-tron, e-tron SportBack).
PPE: from SUV to sports sedan
Unlike the J1, the PPE is designed to offer different dimensions in terms of wheelbase, track and ground clearance. That allows it to accommodate a wide variety of vehicles—both passenger cars and SUVs—from three fairly diverse brands. Indeed, while Porsche’s first PPE vehicle is an electric Macan SUV, Audi’s rival is expected to be A6 E-Tron mid-size car, a concept that appeared 18 months ago, along with a A6 E-Tron Avant wagons that we probably won’t see in North America.
Delay of more than a year in the launch of PPE vehicles — from Initial 2022 to 2023 and now through 2024 — does not reflect problems in battery development or the rest of the electric powertrain. In July, Bloomberg Volkswagen Group report replace its CEO due to delays in model launches at Audi, Bentley and Porsche due to software issues. Every automaker faces the challenge of designing and rolling out brand new electrical architectures for the 2020s that enable over-the-air updates, higher levels of connectivity, and infotainment as well. as centralized control of all vehicle functions. But the VW Group’s delay in doing so cost CEO Herbert Diess his job.
Porsche PPE frame prototype –
Porsche PPE chassis prototype –
Porsche PPE frame prototype –
PPE has been designed for profitable “big displacement” vehicles, at least in the context of Porsche and Audi. Macan Electric must sell in significant numbers if Porsche is to achieve its goal of more than 80% of its deliveries being battery-powered by 2030. The Taycan has been a sales success, with 100,000 units sold in three five. But with prices mostly in six figures, it can’t deliver close to the quantities of the gasoline Macan, which is currently being produced at a rate of 80,000 a year. Over time, sales of the electric Macan must also increase to that level.
Lots of Porsche for Audi?
The new PPE platform is a joint effort between Porsche and Audi, but from the technical information released on Monday, it looks like there’s quite a bit of Porsche in it. Discussions with engineers from both brands over the past few years show how well-suited the two brands, rivals within the vast VW Group, are in terms of technical features and solutions.
PPE batteries run at 800 volts, like the Taycan, and can be charged at 270 kW or more. Porsche quotes a DC fast charge time of 25 minutes to recharge from 5 to 80 percent of battery capacity; As always, those are ideal conditions, including battery temperature and ambient temperature, along with a charging station that can reliably deliver the required power.
PPE platform for the VW Group, developed by Porsche/Audi
Macan Electric’s batteries use prismatic cells arranged in 12 modules to produce a usable battery capacity of 98 kWh in a package with a total capacity of “about 100 kWh” (slightly higher than compared to 93.4 kWh in the Taycan High Performance Battery Pack). Porsche feels that capacity offers the right balance between the extra weight and optimal recharging to minimize travel time. Porsche did not discuss a target range rating for the electric Macan, but a Macan executive confidently said it would be “a lot more than the Taycan”.
In all-wheel drive, the rear engine is more powerful than the front one, as in the Taycan. Porsche has rearranged the magnets inside the permanently excited synchronous electric motors (PSMs) to deliver higher power and torque densities. Combined power from both engines, at least “initial,” is quoted at 450 kW (603 hp) and 740 lb-ft or more of torque.
‘Charging bank’ to use 150 kw DC stations
For rides without 800-volt charging, Porsche has switched to Taycan’s optional DC-DC converter — which requires buyers to pay an additional $460 for the ability to charge faster than 50 kw at 150 kw universally. more variable DC stations. The PPE architecture uses what Porsche calls a “charge bank” to split an 800-volt battery into a pair of parallel 400-volt virtual packs that can be charged simultaneously at a 150-kw station. If necessary, the vehicle will balance the two halves of charge before charging begins.
It’s the exact opposite of how GM’s battery engineers provide an 800-volt charger on its 400-volt GMC Hummer EV. There, a series/parallel switch connects two 400-volt packs placed on top of each other. For PPE vehicles, the switch works in reverse to split an 800-volt pack into two 400-volt batteries. And it eliminates the need for that extra DC-DC converter.
PPE platform for the VW Group, developed by Porsche/Audi
For the Macan Electric, the front suspension uses a double wishbone, while the multi-link rear suspension follows sports car best practice. Wheels up to 22 inches will be used with performance tires. Porsche’s Dominik Hartmann, in charge of developing the Macan chassis, says the difference between the front and rear wheels will be more pronounced than in today’s Macan.
Porsche returns to the rear engine
The most interesting feature of the rear-wheel drive system is that it is diagonally located not on the central axles of the wheels, but slightly behind them. This allows not only gearshifts but also a more dominant driving feel towards the rear. The Macan Electric’s weight distribution will be about 48% front, 52% rear, a far cry from the typical front-wheel drive crossover utility. The all-wheel drive unit is then mounted directly to the bodywork.
No reporter directly asked if the iconic Porsche 911’s rear-engined heritage influenced this decision, but at a minimum, it’s hard to escape the similarities.
PPE platform for the VW Group, developed by Porsche/Audi
The most powerful versions of the Macan Electric will feature a fully variable rear differential and the so-called ‘Performance Rear’ with electronically controlled rear differential lock. One final technology to improve efficiency is the use of silicon carbide instead of silicon in the rear axle power inverter. This reduces power loss and provides the ability to switch power at higher frequencies.
‘Ludmilla’ on display
Along with holograms of its 3-D powertrain renderings, a car was shown to reporters at last week’s media presentation at the Porsche Experience Center in Franciacorta , in the Lombardy region of Italy.
Porsche PPE chassis prototype –
Nicknamed ‘Ludmilla’, it was an early chassis prototype, pieced together even before Vehicle Identification Numbers were issued to development vehicles. To distinguish between the different chassis test mules, all painted black, the engineers named them — always using female names. Porsche says it has built 141 Macan Electric development cars.
In North America, the current Macan and the new Macan Electric will be sold side-by-side for at least a year and possibly longer.
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Porsche has provided airfare, accommodation and meals so that Green Car Reports can bring you this direct report.
