Clearly, the performance-focused EV still has some way to go to fully convince those on the fence. More often than not there simply isn’t enough gained in experiential thrills to warrant spending more money and sacrificing range. Only the Hyundai Ioniq 5N has really nailed it so far. A Taycan Turbo GT is pretty damn good by all accounts, but how many have those have you seen? For now, even from brands like Porsche, it’s those EVs that go farthest on a kilowatt hour that are probably more important. Until the sports cars arrive at least…
So this baby blue SUV looks more significant than it otherwise might, it being the plain vanilla Macan Electric that sits below the 4, 4S and Turbo in the current range. No doubt a GTS and Turbo S will follow in time, though it feels notable that this one - the first rear-drive Macan - has arrived before they do. It could well prove the most popular one, taking the battery-powered SUV to almost 400 miles of range and 4mi/kWh of efficiency. On paper, they look like quite persuasive figures, especially when combined with the 270kW max charge rate and a price that sneaks in below £70k. Not for nothing, that also makes it Porsche’s most attainable EV.
Moreover, the Electric retains a lot of what’s marked out this new Premium Platform Electric era of Macan. The battery is still a healthy 100kWh (95kWh net), there’s the swanky new interior, complete with screen icons that are probably still a touch too small, and a useful boost in carrying capacity: another 50 litres in the boot, plus an 84-litre frunk. Which will no doubt be filled on the first trip to the grandparents, but a handy advantage nonetheless. There’s more room on the rear bench, too, though not loads. Handily for the kind of things prioritised in a Porsche, a single motor saves a useful amount of weight - this is 185kg lighter than a Turbo.
And how often have we banged on about the lighter, simpler Porsches being best? Perhaps it’s even more true for the electric era. Certainly, traction is never an issue, with its weight carried so low and centralised plus 285-section rears on the standard 20-inch wheels. Indeed it’s only ever really tested when you want it to be, at which point the Macan feels… well, pretty brilliant to be honest. Everything is so precise, even by the standards of combustion-engined Porsches, with throttle, steering and assists all collaborating perfectly to permit just the amount of silliness desired. No other Porsche SUV yet has felt so sorted when (ever so slightly) oversteering, not even the Cayenne Turbo GT. The Taycan EV drift record could be under threat given how good this Macan feels.
Perhaps that's of limited benefit in the grand scheme of things - but it's good to know there’s some fun to be had. Of more interest will be the fact that the Macan keeps so much of the DNA that has marked out Porsches of any stripe over the years, with probably the best brake pedal yet found in an EV and (optional) suspension authority that engenders huge confidence. Certainly given this experience and what John said about the PASM-equipped Macan 4, it feels like air might be the way to go; while it feels a tad tense at low speed, out of town it’s supremely comfortable and a model of sophisticated control. And anyway, you were never going to get away with a sub-£70k Macan Electric, so might as well lean into it…
For most folk, this is going to be a plenty fast enough family SUV, too. Predictably, the headline stats, massaged by overboost, write cheques the real-world experience can’t quite cash, but the Macan is whisked along energetically enough. Anybody who has a Macan T will surely be more than happy. When not reaching for the glorious upper reaches of a rev band, outright acceleration does tend to take a bit of a back seat anyway.
So the Macan Electric is a nicely assembled, decent to drive, fast enough Porsche that’ll probably need some options to bring the best from it - so far, so Stuttgart. There are a few demerits to discuss with this car, however. As mentioned in some previous reports, the four-wheel steer does feel a little strange here, and for the first time in a Porsche installation is probably worth leaving unticked on the options list. It can make the Macan seem a mite nervous, especially in those medium-speed corners where the rest of the chassis is so impressive. Oddly, there’s quite a big difference in the staggered tyre setup, with just 235-section front tyres against the 285 rears, perhaps designed with 4WS in mind.
Complaining about claimed versus real-world efficiency isn’t an issue limited to Porsche (or indeed EVs), though it’s worth noting that the Macan returned just 2.3 miles per kilowatt hour on a brisk (but not crazy) 50-mile test drive. It hovered around 2.2 for a lot of the journey. Perhaps that single motor is having to deal with too much, in a way that smaller engines used to deliver good numbers officially but struggle to match them on the road. A dual-motor 4 only sacrifices 0.2 miles per kilowatt hour (3.65 v. 3.85) by the published numbers; it would be interesting to see if that derivative could get closer to the claims in representative driving.
Finally, a subjective thing, one which already counters an earlier published opinion on PH. I really don’t like how this Macan looks, bulbous and odd when a Taycan previewed such a sleek future for electric Porsches. It’s not blind anti-SUV prejudice - I think a Cayenne is quite smart - it’s just that the Macan looks bulky and bland at the same time. At which point it feels worth pointing out some sage advice from a Porsche PR once upon a time, that was essentially along the lines of never listening to car journalists on the subject of style and design - because look at how they dress. But anyone hoping, as I was, for a prettier Macan in real life than pics might be disappointed.
So it’s very good, the Macan Electric, though the jury’s still out on whether it’s great just yet. Without the driven front axle, it’s a hoot when the opportunity presents itself, though without a huge advantage in range and efficiency over the dual motor 4 (which is less than £3k more expensive), it’s easy to see why the latter might prove more persuasive. Either way, those already keen on both the petrol Macan and electric Porsches - heaven knows there are plenty of them - will feel right at home here.
SPECIFICATION | 2024 PORSCHE MACAN ELECTRIC
Engine: 95kWh battery (net), permanently-excited rear motor
Gearbox: Single-speed, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 360 (overboost, otherwise 340)
Torque (lb ft): 415 (with overboost)
0-62mph: 5.7secs
Top speed: 137mph
Kerbweight: 2,220kg (DIN)
Range: up to 398 miles, 3.85mi/kWh ECE combined consumption
CO2: 0 g/km
Price: £68,500 (price as standard; price as tested £94,052 (!) comprising Frozen Blue paint for £1,185, Wheel centre set with full colour Porsche crest for £125, Two-tone leather interior in Black/crayon for £1,380, 14-way electrically adjustable Comfort front seats for £899, Front and rear seat heating for £324, Side window trims in high gloss black for £158, Sideblades painted in high gloss black for £444, ‘Porsche’ logo LED door courtesy lights for £222, Pano roof for £1,283, Model designation and ‘electric’ logo painted in high-gloss black for £185, Rear-axle steering for £1,445, Adaptive air suspension for £2,064, Sport Chrono package for £635, Power steering plus for £204, Porsche Electric Sport sound for £353, Matrix LED main headlights Glacier Blue for £1,181, LED rear lights including light strip glacier blue for £764, Heated windscreen for £333, Thermally and noise insulated glass including privacy glass for £1,152, Interior black accent pack for £380, Arctic Blue seatbelts for £380, Heated multifunction GT Sports Steering Wheel in leather with mode switch for £422, Race-Tex roof lining for £1,019, Pedal pads in stainless steel for £93, Sport Chrono stopwatch dial in Arctic Blue for £269, Augmented reality HUD for £1,694, Surround View with Active PArking Support for £833, Porsche InnoDrive with Active Lane Keeping for £1,250, Comfort Access for £722, 4-zone climate control for £333, Air Quality System for £329, Rear side airbags for £315, Passenger display for £1,112, BOSE Surround Sound System for £917, Electric Charging Cover for £444.)
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