Nice, France – This year, you can buy not just one but two types of Porsche Macan and they couldn’t be more different. There’s the one we know, a traditional gas-powered affair that debuted in 2014; the other is the brand-new Macan EV we first saw in Leipzig, Germany, an advanced 800-volt electric SUV that only looks like the Macan it replaces.
Ultra-Modern EV Platform
Electric Powertrain Specs:
- Motors: Dual permanently excited synchronous motors
- Maximum Power: Up to 450 kW
- Torque: More than 1,000 Nm
Battery Specifications:
- Type: Lithium-ion
- Capacity: Around 100 kWh
- Charging Capabilities: Up to 270 kW, enabling an 80% charge in less than 22 minutes with 800-volt technology
The electric Porsche Macan is the brand’s second EV after the Taycan, and it’s the first new vehicle based on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE), a joint development between Porsche and Audi. The Macan uses an 800-volt electrical system and gets a new 95 kWh (usable) battery pack that consists of 12 separate modules that are easy to replace if there’s an issue.
The Macan can charge a depleted battery at a rate of up to 270 kW, and Porsche tells us that it can maintain charging speeds in excess of 200 kW a lot longer than before. This means 10-80 percent in just 21 minutes but only when the conditions are perfect (which they never are).
The engineers have saved a good chunk of weight by ditching the high-voltage booster, a requirement to charge an 800-volt car with a slower 400-volt charger. Instead, it uses a switch to split the battery into two 400-volt halves, a much more elegant solution.
There are also other innovations like hairpin winding for the electric motors that make them more power dense and efficient.
Efficiency and Power
Performance and Handling Specs:
- Rear-Axle Steering: Included for enhanced agility and stability
- Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus: Electronically controlled differential lock at the rear
- Suspension: Double wishbone at front, multi-link at rear, with optional air suspension
Two trims are available: Macan 4 and Macan Turbo. Both are all-wheel drive with a motor on each axle, and air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) is standard equipment. The Macan Turbo gets a larger rear motor and, as a result, makes much more power. Macan 4’s combined maximum power rating is 402 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque, numbers that are quickly eclipsed by the Turbo’s 630 hp and meaty 833 lb-ft. The Macan 4 can drive up to 613 km on one charge, according to WLTP testing, with the Turbo not far behind, but those figures seem highly optimistic.
The Turbo gets a torque-vectoring rear axle, and optional rear-wheel steering helps the Macan feel more agile in tight corners.
Even with all that power, the Macan is very efficient, thanks in no small part to a super low drag coefficient of 0.25, which helps it cut through the air with minimal strain on the electric motors. We consistently recorded energy consumption in the range of 18-22 kWh through a mix of heavy traffic, high-speed motorways, and twisty B-roads.
Athletic Moves
The Macan did its badge proud by being a truly excellent and sporty SUV to drive and the new Macan EV follows in its footsteps despite weighing nearly 1000 lbs more.
Porsche has learned to balance the power delivery between the axles in such a natural manner that it feels like a perfectly tuned mechanical system. The Turbo gets a torque-vectoring rear axle, and optional rear-wheel steering helps the Macan feel more agile in tight corners. It’s a bigger vehicle with an additional 86 mm added to the wheelbase over the gas model, but it still feels manageable even on narrow French roads.
On the pristine blacktop carving its way through the mountains north of Cannes, the Macan Turbo devours corners with face-pulling levels of grip and a beautifully balanced chassis that feels sporty and rear-driven.
Screen-Tensive Macan EV Interior
Advanced Technologies:
- Displays: Up to three screens, including a 12.6-inch curved digital dashboard and a 10.9-inch central touch display
- Head-Up Display with AR: Augmented reality for immersive navigation and driving assistance
- Porsche Communication Management (PCM): Features new-generation interface with faster operation and integrated popular apps
If you’ve sat in the Taycan, the Macan will feel instantly familiar just with a few more physical switches and, thankfully, manual controls for the air vents. All the materials, leathers, and fabrics are top-notch and completely customizable through Porsche’s many programs. A gorgeous new purple interior called Bramble is a must-pick option. A new 10.9-inch passenger screen option matches the 10.9-inch center screen and a 12.6-inch digital gauge cluster. It feels like expensive, and that’s because it is.
Big Price Tag
A big clue that this Macan bears little similarity to the outgoing one is the massive price jump. The Macan 4 starts at $80,450 US ($99,300 CAD), and the Turbo starts at $106,950 US ($125,300 CAD). Customize the interior like we said you could, and that price will balloon quickly.
Order books for Porsche’s second EV are open now with deliveries expected in the second half of the year. If you’re considering the Macan EV, here are some other 2024 SUVs and crossovers worth considering.
