12 December 2023
Porsche’s Macan goes EV; retains Porsche-ness, adds massive power
Welcome to the next step in Porsche’s plan for an all-electric future: the second-generation Porsche Macan.Developed in tandem with the recently previewed Audi Q6 E-tron on the Volkswagen Group’s new 800V Premium Platform Electric, this SUV will be the second fully electric Porsche model after the Porsche Taycan saloon/estate.The BMW iX3 and Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV rival was intially delayed as extra time was needed to develop the network of systems that controls its new drivetrain and various ancillaries, plus the new E3 software platform used for the infotainment, driver assistance and other functions.“The complexity and networking of the software is a key issue in every electric vehicle. We wanted to ensure that everything was to the latest development standard before placing cars in the hands of customers,” explains Macan development chief Robert Meier.The old petrol-engined and new electric Macans are planned to be sold alongside each other in all of Porsche’s existing markets. Yet despite sharing a model name, each features its own design.