Porsche Macan EV: What You Need to Know
Porsche’s first all-electric SUV is built on a brand-new platform that the German company has developed in cooperation with Audi; you’ll find similar, but different, tech and hardware in the all-new Audi Q6 e-tron. With a relatively compact exterior silhouette sitting on a long wheelbase, the Macan EV has a powerful stance, and thanks to being engineered as an EV from the start (with no “engine room” to hold a large, complex gasoline engine) it has a more spacious interior than you might expect for a vehicle of its size.
A smooth, organic-looking exterior has a sweeping roofline, which contributes to exceptional aerodynamics, with a 0.25 coefficient of drag. Like any Porsche, there are a huge variety of colors and options available to customize the vehicle – from a wide selection of 20- to 22-inch wheels, long list of leather and sustainable fabric options, and a new off-road design package featuring rugged exterior trim and chunky Vesuvius Gray off-road wheels.
All Porsche Macan EV models feature a large 100-kWh battery and all-new power electronics that Porsche says make it a highly efficient, as well as impressively powerful, SUV. An 800-volt electrical architecture, similar to the one used in the Taycan sports car, enables ultra-fast charging speeds. On a compatible Level 3 charger, the new Macan EV models can charge at up to 270 kW, and Porsche claims that the battery can go from 10 to 80 percent charge in just over 20 minutes.
New Entry Level Macan EV with RWD
Perhaps the biggest news for the Macan lineup is the introduction of an entry-level model with rear-wheel drive. Using a single electric motor at the rear of the vehicle that produces 355 hp at its peak, and a single-speed transmission, the new base Macan can dash to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, more than quick enough for most everyday uses, as is the 136-mph top track speed.
One motor instead of two means it weighs a couple of hundred pounds less than the Macan 4 EV, which benefits range and efficiency. While the EPA has yet to release a range estimate, on the European testing cycle, the base Macan EV will deliver close to 400 miles thanks to its large battery. Its starting MSRP is $75,300 – a meaningful $3,500 less than the Macan 4, which has a European estimated range of 380 miles, 402 horsepower from twin motors, and a 4.9-second 0-60 mph time.
More Powerful Macan 4S With Over 500 hp
Sitting above the Macan 4, but below the Macan Turbo, is the new Macan 4S, which carries a starting MSRP of $84,900. Featuring a brand-new and more powerful rear-axle motor and a 600-amp pulse inverter, as well as the same front-axle motor as the Macan 4 and Macan Turbo, the Macan 4S can blitz to 60 mph in just 3.9 seconds and on to a top track speed of 149 mph. Range on the European WLTP cycle is estimated at 376 miles, only a small drop from the Macan 4 despite the massive power bump.
In addition to more power, the Macan 4S comes with more standard features, including an electronically-controlled adaptive air suspension, which allows the driver to choose how soft or stiff the suspension is, while rear-axle torque vectoring and rear-wheel steering are available as options.
With its extra power and features, the Macan 4S looks like good value compared to the much-more expensive Macan Turbo EV, which has a starting MSRP of $105,300. While that vehicle gives 630 hp and a 0-60 mph time of just 3.1 seconds, most of the top model’s luxury features are already included on the Macan 4S, which is, let’s face it, more than fast enough for most drivers.
Should I Buy a Gasoline or Electric Porsche Macan?
With the introduction of the entry-level Macan and the Macan 4S, Porsche has now fleshed out its first all-electric model lineup. Expect, in a year or so, more specialized niche models like a Macan GTS EV and Macan Turbo S.
In the meantime, we expect to see the first electric Macan models on American roads this fall. They will be available, at least for the next year or two, alongside the gasoline-powered Macan models. While the gasoline Macans are still fantastic to drive, they offer less interior space than the all-new electric models, and their interior and driver-assistance features are a generation behind. On the other hand, the starting MSRPs of gasoline Macans are substantially less than the new EV models – though you’ll likely be spending hundreds of dollars a month on gasoline.
Us? We’d, not unsurprisingly, go for the new electric models. They look great, their charging capability and tech are near the top of their class, and they promise to offer all of the excitement and performance that you’ve come to expect from Porsche, in an all-new, zero-emissions form.
