Porsche has shocked many buyers by announcing that the second generation of its Macan compact SUV will only be available as an electric vehicle (EV).
When it begins production “at the start of the next decade”, the new Macan will become Porsche’s first all-electric SUV model, though it will be the brand’s third electric vehicle after the Taycan – a traditionally-shaped sports car which is due on sale in 2019, and the Taycan Sport Turismo Estate, set for launch in 2020.
Currently Porsche is giving no details of the Macan EV’s drivetrain, other than stating that it will use “800-volt technology, and is based on the Porsche PPE architecture (Premium Platform Electric) developed in collaboration with Audi.”
The new Macan will be the first car to employ the PPE platform, and industry sources suggest it will make use of twin electric motors providing full all-wheel-drive capability.
Porsche plans to invest more than six billion euros in electric mobility by 2022, and by 2025 50% of all new Porsche vehicles could have an electric drive system.
“Nevertheless, over the next ten years we will focus on a drive mix consisting of even further optimised petrol engines, plug-in hybrid models, and purely electrically operated sports cars,” the brand has stated.
Some rumours suggest that a concept version of the next Macan could be revealed at the Geneva motor show next week.
