This weekend in Dubai, we’re getting our first static look at the all-new Porsche Cayenne Electric.
The numbers are huge, the tech is ambitious, and the real-world verdict has yet to be determined. But even without any wheels turning here in the UAE, the reception is momentous.
Let’s unpack the need-to-knows of this new chapter of sports utility from the German powerhouse.
So what’s the story behind the Porsche Cayenne Electric?
Porsche has flicked the switch on a new era for its bestselling SUV, unveiling the first fully-electric Cayenne Electric and Cayenne Turbo Electric. A major milestone for the brand, no doubt, but also one arriving in a market that’s cooling on EVs – and increasingly picky about price, charging infrastructure, as well as real-world range.
Porsche says it’s the most powerful production model they’ve ever built. It can even match the infamous 918 Spyder off the line. Impressive numbers, yes. Proven on the road? Well… no one outside Stuttgart has really driven it yet – but there’s plenty to unpack in the meantime.
Who is the buyer?
On paper, the Cayenne Electric appears to be aimed at the high-end EV holdouts: those who want the badge, performance, and practicality, but haven’t been convinced by what Tesla, Mercedes, BMW, or the Geely group have served up lately.
It’s also likely angling for existing Cayenne owners who are curious about going fully electric – though whether the traditional V8 crowd makes that jump is very much still up in the air. Given it’s being offered alongside the current third-generation internal combustion Cayenne, I’m unsure how many current customers will be proactively swapping into it.
So it must be fresh meat Porsche is after.
Tell us about your first impressions.
From a distance, it reads unmistakably like a Cayenne – polished and sharpened for the next decade.
The front end is lower, the LEDs slimmer, the doors are now frameless, and the rear light bar has been chiselled. The back half of the car is an angular departure from the curvaceousness of previous Porsche SUV range DNA. The jury’s still out on that. Expect it to look better in the metal than in the photos.
Inside, the new curved OLED Flow Display is undeniably sleek and the most notable addition to the configuration. I’ve rarely seen so much digital real estate in an SUV of late. Thankfully, while it’s a lot of screen time, it’s still balanced with a nice ratio of essential buttons. Porsche always does interior finishes and tactility exceptionally well.
Give us the top-line on performance and efficiency?
The numbers are wild – perhaps suspiciously wild for an SUV this big. Does it need to be the most powerful production Porsche ever built? No… but it is.
Plenty of developments from Porsche’s dominance in Formula E are being carried over to this family-friendly steed, hence the leaps forward in speed and power when pegged against Porsche’s own 918 Spyder in a drag race.
The new Porsche Cayenne Electric is being offered in just two variants.
Cayenne Electric:
- 300 kW of power
- 0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds
- Up to 642 km of WLTP range
Cayenne Turbo Electric:
- Up to 850 kW of power with Launch Control
- 0-100 km/h in 2.5 seconds
- Up to 623 km WLTP range
Charging peaks at up to 390-400 kW, with a claimed 10-80% in under 16 minutes in European ultra-fast charging settings. As always, WLTP numbers and lab-tested charging speeds tend to look rosier than real life – especially in Australian conditions with local infrastructure.
Tech and connectivity – what’s the word?
Porsche is throwing the kitchen sink at software this time:
- A new curved Flow Display centrepiece
- Digital instrument cluster
- Optional passenger screen
- AR head-up display
- New “Mood Modes”
- Voice Pilot with AI and context-aware commands
It all sounds impressive on paper, though the UX’s functionality remains to be seen. Based on our time in the latest generation 992.2 911 and the electric Macan, however, Porsche’s infotainment is hard to fault.
And what about the boring safety stuff?
All the expected modern assists appear to be here: adaptive cruise, lane guidance, intersection monitoring, surround-view systems, a suite of airbags of course, and a bucket-load of more acronyms you can dive into when you test drive one.
The most memorable – or heartbreaking – thing about the Cayenne Electric?
The headline? Porsche has made its most powerful production vehicle a 2.5-tonne SUV. It’s memorable for the sheer absurdity of that feat alone. Our hearts are still intact for now, aided by Porsche’s appeasement of V8 Cayenne lovers with the continuation of the ICE offering alongside the new Cayenne Electric.
We can’t comment on anything further until keys hit hands.
One thing you should know before taking a test drive?
Don’t walk in assuming this is simply “an electric Cayenne.” Like they did with the electric Macan, Porsche tackles their new electric product with a ground-up rethink. Bigger cabin, more tech, new chassis philosophy – it’s a hard reset in every sense of the model. Go in with an open mind, a healthy list of questions; there’s a lot to wrap your head around (you’ll need them).
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