It took four years for Porsche to go from Mission E . concept to the production version of Taycan electric sports sedan. Now, three years after that car was released, Porsche is giving us a peek Its next EV. This time it will be an SUV, Macan tramand less than two years left for full production. We have a sneak peek.
(Full disclosure: Porsche wanted me to learn about the foundation that underpins the new Macan Electric, companyy brought me to Italy, put me in Doubletree, and made me sit for 12 hours for product briefings, most of which were in German.)
Macan Electric (yes, that’s official name) will be built on a new platform that Porsche calls PPE: Premium Platform Electric. This setting, although similar to Taycan’s J1 platform, which offers some small but significant improvements. According to Porsche, these tweaks will mean more power, better handling and greater range. And yes, same as with Taycanthis new electric car platform will be shared with Porsche company cousin Audi.
It all started with a new battery pack, about 100 kWh valuable, divided into 12 modules. Porsche has yet to confirm the exact package size, but it will be slightly larger than the Taycan’s largest 93.4 kWh pack. Porsche says this size was chosen because it strikes the right balance between range and performance. Interestingly, this package is lacking the so-called “foot garage” allows the Taycan’s body to sit too low on its skateboard battery platform.
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The PPE’s package will be underpinned by the same 800-volt architecture found in the Taycan, allowing the battery to be charged from 5% to 80% in just 25 minutes. As the electrons run in the other direction, they power the dual-motor setup with 600 hp and 740 lb-ft north. of torque. Under normal conditions, Most of that power will go to the rear wheels, so the Macan will use staggered, wider tires at the rear, with wheels measuring up to 22 inches in diameter.
That said, thanks to the duo of the engine, torque will be infinitely variable from front to rear, meaning the new Macan will put power where it can best be used.. At the rear, the Macan will be able to transfer torque from side to side, at least on the high-performance versions of the Macan Electric. A clutch-style rear differential will handle the duties there, while the front axle will have a simpler open differential, Use the brake to contain the rotation of the wheel.
All of that, plus rear-wheel steering, means the new Macan Electric should feel snappy and nimble, even taking into account what would presumably be a rather heavy weight. The two-valve air suspension will allow dynamic ride height adjustment plus a wider range of damping settings, while a bushing-mounted rear subframe is said to both improve dynamic handling and reduce noise, vibration and harshness.
Interestingly, Porsche has mounted the rear electric motor “particularly far back” on that rear subframe, resulting in a slightly rearward weight ratio of 48:52%. Confirmed rear-engine electric 911 platform? Don’t get your hopes up, but it’s an interesting technical choice.
And what about all important scope questions? Porsche hasn’t given a number yet, but I’m told it will be “more” than Taycan people, topping just under 250 miles on the EPA test cycle. Again, no specific number, but when I asked if it would match the range Mercedes-Benz EQSAfter a while of deliberation I received an answer in confirm. That could mean something 300 miles north on the EPA test ride bicycle.
In addition, Macan Electric will solve another, smaller problem with the Taycan: not like a sedannew SUV there will be a usable trunk. However, it won’t offer extra regenerative braking or anything close to single-pedal driving. Porsche continues to claim this is part of their electric vehicle design “philosophy”, which continues to be a bad reason to ignore a simple feature that a significant percentage of EV buyers actually do. care about. would like.
journalist got a quick look at a camouflaged prototype of the Macan Electric, nicknamed “Ludmilla,” at an event in Italy last week. With all the details concealed with gaffer tape and fake exhaust tips taped to the rear bumper, it’s hard to know exactly what the final product will look like. That said, the narrow headlights hidden under fake lights certainly seem to fit the mold laid out by the Taycan, while the aggressive clamshell front end looks quite similar to the current Macan.
The PPE . platform will underpin the new Macan Electric as well as several other upcoming vehicles, although Porsche representatives have been reticent about providing any details on that front. The platform supports multiple wheelchairs, so larger or smaller products are doable. Whether this chassis can be applied to something low and sporty, like an eventual Taycan successor, remains to be seen.
At least we won’t have to wait long to see what the Macan Electric would look like without that camouflage. Porsche promises crossover will have the first deliveries to customers in early 2024, with an announcement in 2023. In other words: shortly.
