Ahead of the production of Porsche’s first all-electric models, the Taycan and Taycan Sport Turismo, the firm has revealed plans to build the next-generation Macan mid-size SUV exclusively in all-electric form.
The electric Porsche Macan will be a further expansion of the marque’s new electric range, following the production of the Tesla-rivalling Taycan at the end of this year and the more practical Taycan Sport Turismo - the brand has said production of the next Macan will begin around 2021.
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Powertrain details are scarce, but Porsche has confirmed that the compact SUV will feature 800-volt technology, the same as the Taycan, and will be based on the all-new Porsche Premium Platform Electric (PPE) platform, developed in collaboration with Audi. Being an SUV, we’d imagine it will feature all-wheel-drive, likely achieved via the use of a motor on each of the axles. Expected range is yet to be announced, however, we’d expect it to be somewhere around the 300-mile mark based on the figures quoted for the Taycan concept.
To cope with the increase in production numbers of EVs, Porsche is converting its existing Leipzig factory (above), initially built to produce the Cayenne in 2002, into an electric vehicle manufacturing plant, allowing the firm to reuse the combustion vehicle production lines. The brand has invested over £1.12 billion into the factory since its opening, and will probably be adding a considerable amount to that figure with the adaptations required for the next-generation of electric vehicles.
Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Board of Management of Porsche AG, said: “By 2022 we will be investing more than six billion euros in electric mobility, 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.”
Although further information is yet to be revealed, we’d suggest keeping your eyes peeled for more coming out of this year’s Geneva motor show...
