Perhaps nothing demonstrates the state of flux currently consuming the car industry like Porsche’s announcement of an entirely battery-powered Mk4 Cayenne. Not so long ago, that would have been broadly accepted as the only obvious path for a car to be sold into the 2030s - full steam ahead (or whatever the equivalent is) on EVs. Now, however, with buyer demand cooling and legislation being questioned, to go solely electric looks potentially foolhardy. So Porsche isn’t: when the time comes, the current (recently updated) model will be sold alongside the electric Cayenne. Next stop is diesel’s comeback…
“Our product strategy could enable us to deliver more than 80 per cent of our new cars fully electrified in 2030 – depending on the demand of our customers and the development of electromobility in the regions of the world,” said Oliver Blume, Porsche CEO. The first part of that sentence was the original plan of Porsche, with the electric SUVs, Taycan and upcoming 718 EVs able to make up the four-out-of-five number. But now there’s the second, more watery part that it's now factoring in, where more than 20 per cent of customers may still want an engine in their Porsche come 2030. So the company is covering both bases: it’ll have the cars to accommodate an 80:20 mix in favour of EV, or however far the needle swings the other way for combustion.
The electric Cayenne is still a few years away given the latest, significant refresh of the third generation only arrived last year. When it comes, the EV will be built from the Premium Platform Electric that also underpins the Macan; that’ll mean an 800-volt system and super duper charging capability (the smaller SUV is already at 270kW). Porsche being Porsche, though, the next Cayenne has already undergone a wealth of testing at Weissach and is now out on the public road. The plan is millions of kilometres over every possible terrain and in every climate possible, so that a five-up trip to the in-laws is a breeze.
We’re told to expect ‘familiar Porsche driving characteristics… high efficiency, and a high level of comfort and everyday usability’ from the new car. As for the existing model, work is also underway on further improving that for the next decade. Perhaps most encouragingly for PH, not least after the resoundingly positive impression of the latest GTS, is the continued existence of V8 Cayennes. Porsche says that the efficiency will be improved thanks to ‘extensive technical measures’ that will ensure the ‘twin-turbo engine is ready to comply with future legislative requirements.’ Which sounds like good news to us.
Obviously in the UK there is still the prospect of no new diesel or petrol cars being sold after 2030 (though we can expect that target to be extensively lobbied the closer it gets) but with the unit now well-established among the firm's plug-in hybrid options, that is unlikely to deny it to buyers keen to stick with a large combustion engine in their Cayenne.
Porsche hasn’t confirmed exactly when we’ll see the electric version. As mentioned, it seems a little way off given the timing of both the Macan and latest Cayenne. But with a battery-powered Range Rover very much closer on the horizon as well, it looks like being a good time for those after an EV SUV. Or a petrol-powered SUV, for that matter. Or, let’s be honest, any SUV the heart so desires.
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