All-New Porsche EV SUV
Porsche’s midsize Macan SUV is the company’s best-selling model. It combines the space and features many drivers need with the design and the brand that high-end buyers are willing to pay a significant premium for, and as such has been both a huge sales success and a global cash cow for Porsche. Now, the Macan, which has previously only been available with internal combustion engines – no hybrids have been available – is going fully-electric in a lot of markets, though it will be sold alongside the gas model for a couple of years here in North America. The all-new Macan EV is a bold move, but is it also a risky one?
Porsche Macan EV Design
First impressions of the all-electric Macan are good – actually, they’re spectacular. While this EV SUV is recognizably a Macan, with its four-point LED front lights, sleek profile, and red light strip stretching across the rear, it has a high-tech look all its own. The roofline is lower and sleeker than the gasoline Macan, the doors have frameless glass, and the wheels are bigger – you get a choice of wheels from 19 to 22 inches, all of them optimized for aerodynamic efficiency.
While it doesn’t look like it, the EV Macan is also a larger SUV than the gasoline version. Developed from the ground up as an electric vehicle, it sits on a much longer wheelbase, which frees up extra space in the front and rear seats, and increased length also improves carrying capacity. The cargo area is larger than before and easy to access through the power rear hatch, and there’s a generously-sized storage area up front as well, large enough to hold an overnight bag and a laptop case. In comparison, the old gas Macan feels tight in the back, and less modern in execution.
Porsche Macan EV Models and Competition
Porsche offers a wide range of electric Macan models to suit almost every need and budget – well, at least, every high-end buyer’s budget. The range kicks off with a rear-wheel drive 355-hp Macan Electric, which has a starting MSRP of $75,300, almost $13,000 more than the starting price of the gasoline Macan. The likely best-seller will be the all-wheel drive 402-hp Macan 4, which has a starting MSRP of $78,800. There’s also the $84,900 starting MSRP 509-hp Macan 4S and the top-of-the-line Macan Turbo, with 630 hp and a starting MSRP of $105,300.
That’s before you dip into Porsche’s extensive, and expensive, options list. Fitted with 18-way seats, seat ventilation, a premium package, 22-inch wheels, painted side blades, augmented reality head-up display, and a passenger-side screen, among other goodies, my Macan 4 carried an MSRP of $95,795 before destination. That’s nearly double what you’d pay for a faster Tesla Model 3 Performance – the price you pay for Porsche’s incredible build quality, luxurious appointments, and nearly-endless levels of customization.
A better comparison might be the Audi Q6 e-tron, which is also starting to arrive in North American dealerships. The electric Macan and the Q6 share their basic platform, which was co-developed by Porsche and Audi, and they have similar battery capacities, range estimates, and available features. The basic rear-drive Q6 e-tron also has rear-wheel drive and a starting MSRP of $63,800, with Quattro all-wheel drive bumping the price to $65,800; load up a Prestige model and you’ll be looking at $72,600 – less than the Macan’s starting MSRP before options. The Audi doesn’t offer nearly the same range of custom options for customers, and to these eyes, the Macan is the better-looking vehicle.
Macan EV Range and Charging
At the moment, Porsche is delivering the Macan 4 and the Macan Turbo at U.S. and Canadian dealerships. The EPA estimates the Macan 4 will go 308 miles on a full charge, while the much more powerful Macan Turbo will go 288 miles, according to the EPA. Interestingly, the all-wheel drive Macan 4 should go further on a charge than the less-powerful rear-wheel drive Macan Electric, as its twin motors can recapture more energy when slowing down.
All Macan models pack a 100-kWh battery, and are built on an 800-volt architecture similar to that used in the more-expensive Taycan sports sedan. The 800-volt architecture allows Porsche to use thinner, lighter wires to improve performance and efficiency, and also enables very fast charging. Maximum charging speed is up to 270 kW on a compatible charger, and 10 to 80 percent can be delivered in just 21 minutes, among the fastest within the class.
We tested the Macan 4 EV on a couple of fast chargers and were impressed by how well it would maintain peak charging speeds, minimizing the amount of time you’ll spend charging on a road trip. Like all EVs, you are more likely to do the majority of your charging at home, and two charging ports, one on either side of the vehicle, make that process more convenient. The MyPorsche app also allows you to program charging to take advantage of the cheapest electricity during off-peak hours.
How Does the Porsche Macan EV Drive?
With 402 hp and a claimed 4.9-second 0-60 mph time, the Macan 4 sits at the low end of the Macan range in terms of performance, but not once did it feel lacking for acceleration or speed.
Like all electric vehicles, the dual electric motors and single-speed transmission offer instantaneous torque the moment you press down on the accelerator pedal, but what’s different here is how easily and precisely you can dole out the Macan’s power. EVs can tend to feel like an on-off switch in terms of power delivery; the Macan’s long-travel accelerator gives you an incredible sense of control over the vehicle’s performance, much like Porsche’s gasoline models.
The Macan EV also handles like a Porsche. You notice the perfect weight and great feel of the steering in the first few feet, and the three-spoke wheel has the same precise, linear feel as the accelerator, letting you place the Macan perfectly in corners, whether you’re just motoring through the city or scything down a country road. Yes, in faster corners, you feel the weight of the battery, but it’s set low in the chassis, so it kind of aids stability and cornering grip. The brakes are spectacular, too.
When used for less sporting duties, the Macan impresses as well. Even on the biggest wheels and tires, ride quality is just fine, and excellent visibility combines with the responsive throttle and steering to make it easy to cut through urban traffic. The only annoying thing we noticed was that the front passenger seatbelt, when not being used, had a tendency to knock against a side trim panel, which would disturb the Macan’s vault-like silence and refinement.
Inside the Porsche Macan EV
That trait was particularly noticeable because the Macan’s cabin is so quiet, luxurious, and well-made. In addition to being roomier than the gasoline Macan, the electric version is also a big step forward in in terms of perceived quality. From the sharp, variable-color ambient lighting to the stitching of the leather on the seats and dashboard to the subtle knurling on the physical knobs and switches, the Macan’s interior feels very high-end.
While there’s too much screen real estate for my taste – a digital instrument cluster is paired with a standard center infotainment screen, and the passenger screen is just as big and bright – the interface is responsive and easy to use and the displays are crisp and incredibly high-res. Porsche has also retained a good number of physical controls for often-used functions, including the seat and wheel adjusters, lights, and climate control, making the Macan easier to operate than a lot of its competitors.
More than anything, though, we’re impressed with the increased level of space and versatility inside this dedicated EV. With its flat floor, generously-sized cargo area, front trunk, and roomy back seat, the Macan EV is a lot more spacious and versatile than the gasoline Macan, and closes in on the gasoline or hybrid Porsche Cayenne in terms of its hauling ability. While its interior design is very different from a Model Y’s, with a more intimate and cozy feel, there’s similar room inside the Macan, with a much higher perception of quality. At a similar price point, the larger BMW iX offers even more space, especially in the rear, at the expense of the Macan’s superior driving dynamics.
Porsche Macan Electric: Conclusion
It’s sometimes easy to forget that, Tesla aside, Porsche is an automaker that has been at the electric game for a relatively long time. It first introduced the groundbreaking Taycan in 2020, making the electric Macan effectively a second-generation product from one of the world’s great auto engineering firms. The company’s experience shows in how mature the Macan EV feels – from the moment you pull away, it feels like a Porsche, through and through.
As with all Porsche models these days, the Macan EV’s pricing feels very ambitious, especially when viewed against competitors that are better-equipped or higher-performing, on paper. Then again, the brand’s vehicles have bever been sold on value, and the level of customization available in the Macan is second-to-none, enabling you to at least make your expensive electric SUV truly your own, and one that stands out from the crowd.
