If you are looking for another example of how our tax system sometimes has a crazy effect on the car market, take a look at the Porsche Macan. A Cayenne with a V6 and 470 hp that is 10,000 euros cheaper than the smaller Macan with a modest four-cylinder and 265 hp? It is a wonder that Macans were still sold in the Netherlands at all. The new electric Porsche Macan is more suitable for the Netherlands and our taxes.
The new Porsche Macan is only available fully electric. The original plan was to keep the current Macan in the range alongside the electric one, but safety regulations in the EU mean that Porsche has to kill the compact petrol SUV. And in a way that is not surprising: the current Macan is actually still in its first generation and is therefore very old. This second-generation Macan is on a completely new platform.
Would you prefer electric over a four-cylinder?
If there is one Porsche that is ready for electrification, it is the Macan. We suspect that it is the Porsche with the smallest following and the following will not be as purist as the average 911 driver. It was always a bit of the Porsche ‘for extra’, and if one car can easily be an EV, it is the second car. And that is certainly not meant to be disrespectful: we will miss the slightly too noisy V6 in the Turbo before the facelift, but a Macan with a four-cylinder, that could just as well be a faster EV. However?
The new Porsche Macan, which we recently had the opportunity to drive, always leaves the factory with two electric motors and a 100-kWh battery. For now you can choose between fast and slightly faster. The Macan 4 gets 408 hp and 650 Nm, which is good for a sprint to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds.
The Macan Turbo reaches the maximum speed during the day in 3.3 seconds. This version produces 639 hp and 1,130 Nm from the two electric motors. Those who hate their range can drive a maximum of 220 km/h in the Macan 4 and 260 in the Turbo. Those who find it less pleasant at the charging station can, with a little self-control, drive 591 kilometers in the Turbo or 613 kilometers in the Macan 4.
PPE platform
Besides the fact that the second electric Porsche ever and the second Macan ever are nice news, the arrival of the electric SUV brings another nice scoop. The Macan is the first car on the new Premium Platform Electric (PPE), which we would have preferred to reverse the order and call it PEP. Because there is enough pep in the system; everything runs on 800 volts and can charge with a maximum of 270 kW. You should be able to charge from 10 to 80 percent in just over 20 minutes. The new Audi A6 will also be on this platform.
There is an electronic limited slip differential between the rear wheels so that you can also go a little sideways. Those who prefer to take normal turns can opt for steering rear wheels. With a five-degree steering angle on the rear axle, the turning circle shrinks to 11.1 meters. Then there is torque vectoring and the Turbo has air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management as standard. This air suspension is optional for the Macan 4.
The dimensions of the new electric Porsche Macan
Interestingly, the driver sits up to 28 millimeters lower than in the previous generation Macan, while there is now a battery under the floor. The electric Porsche Macan is 4,784 millimeters long, 1,938 millimeters wide and 1,622 millimeters high, making it almost as large as the outgoing model by a few centimeters. And if you want to know: the trunk measures 540 liters with the rear seats up from 1,348 liters with the seat down. You can still store 84 liters in the front. And if you really want to know: you can tow 2,000 kilos.
We largely know the interior from the Cayenne and the Taycan. This means a screen without a cover for the driver and optionally you can also have an extra screen placed on the dashboard in front of the passenger. Looks good again, and will undoubtedly fit properly.
Prices of the electric Porsche Macan
Prices of the Porsche Macan 4 start at 88,900 euros in the Netherlands. This means it costs 9,700 euros less than the cheapest Taycan. The Porsche Macan Turbo costs at least 121,000 euros in the Netherlands. The electric Macan should be available at Porsche dealers from the second half of this year.