Porsche Cayenne Electric arrives with 1,140bhp and wireless charging
Porsche has finally taken the wraps off its new Cayenne Electric, revealing that the new flagship SUV is its most powerful production car ever.
From launch two versions of the Cayenne Electric will be available, including the £130,900 Cayenne Turbo Electric, which packs 1,140bhp and will sprint from 0-62mph in just 2.5 seconds. That’s more powerful than the Taycan Turbo GT.
Porsche says the Cayenne Electric ushers in the “beginning of a new era”, with cutting-edge technology and greater versatility than ever.
Porsche Cayenne Electric performance
Priced from £83,200 both versions of the Cayenne feature a two-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain with a 113kWh battery offering up to 398 miles of range.
In normal operation the Cayenne Turbo Electric produces 845bhp but the full 1,140bhp and 1,106lb ft of torque can be unlocked for up to 10 seconds via Porsche’s famous “push to pass” button. With that activated, the Turbo gets from standstill to 62mph in 2.5 seconds, will reach 124mph in just 7.4 seconds and run on to a top speed of 162mph.
That makes this 2.5-tonne SUV the third-quickest Porsche on sale, behind the Taycan Turbo S and Taycan Turbo GT (0-62mph in 2.4 and 2.2 seconds, respectively). It’s as quick as a 911 Turbo S.
The “entry level” Cayenne Electric offers 402bhp in regular operation, boosted to 416bhp in push-to-pass mode. That dispatches the 0-62mph run in 4.8 seconds and offers a top speed of 148mph.
To allow constant high performance the Turbo’s rear motor features a motorsport-inspired direct oil cooling system. Also linked to Porsche’s motorsport experience is industry-leading energy recuperation, which offers Formula E levels of up to 600kW of recuperative power. Porsche estimates that 97% of braking in everyday use can be achieved entirely by the motors’ regen. For those planning on working the brakes harder, ceramic composite discs are among the options.
Every version of the Cayenne Electric comes with adaptive air suspension and Porsche Active Suspension Management. The Turbo also features the Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus electronic limited-slip rear differential. It can also be specified with Porsche’s Active Ride with 48V anti-roll technology, and both models can be specced with four-wheel steering as an optional extra for sharper cornering.
Every Cayenne Electric uses a 113kWh battery. In the lower-powered variant that brings a claimed range of 398 miles, while the Turbo’s range is 387 miles. Thanks to the 800V PPE underpinnings, the Cayenne features blindingly fast 400kW charging that, in theory, will take the massive battery from 10-80% in just 16 minutes.
The Cayenne is also the first production car to offer wireless inductive charging at up to 11kW.
Porsche Cayenne Electric design and interior
Porsche says the new Cayenne’s design is “unmistakably Cayenne” but one that “carries [it] into the future”.
There is a distinctly familiar look but the Cayenne Electric is sleeker and leaner, with a low bonnet, cleaner front end design and smoother sides. At the rear there’s a neater tailgate shape with a 3D light bar and illuminated Porsche script. Active aeroblades on the edge of the Turbo’s rear bumper extend at high speed to aid aerodynamics and all versions of the Cayenne Electric feature a near-flat underbody, active front aero flaps and an adaptive roof spoiler to aid air flow and efficiency.
The Cayenne Electric is 5.5cm longer than the current ICE version but the wheelbase is a whopping 13cm longer, creating new levels of passenger space in the rear, while offering up to 781 litres of boot space and a 90-litre frunk.
Inside, the Cayenne Electric is the first to feature Porsche’s “Flow” display – a curved OLED screen that flows from the dashboard down into the centre console in a single piece. This is augmented by a 14.25-inch curved instrument panel and an optional 14.9-inch passenger display. Despite having the biggest screen array of any Porsche, the Cayenne retains physical switches for air conditioning and audio control.
The Cayenne Electric also introduces electrically adjustable rear seats as standard, an electrically switchable panoramic sunroof and heated armrests and door panels to complement the heated seats. It also adds “Mood Modes” that adjust seating position, lighting, air conditioning, sound profile and the display appearance.
Orders for the new Porsche Cayenne Electric are open now, and Porsche says it brings new levels of customisation with 13 exterior colours, nine wheel designs from 20 to 22 inches, five interior packages and five accent packages. If that’s not enough, buyers can call on the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur, Paint to Sample and Sonderwunsch programmes, to customise their cars further.
