Electric Porsche Macan launched from £67,200 with 398-mile range

Porsche has expanded the line-up of its new electric Macan, notably introducing a new entry-model that offers 355bhp and 398 miles of range.

A direct rival to the likes of the Jaguar I-Pace and Polestar 4, the new Porsche Macan is launched today, priced from £67,200 in its most efficient rear-wheel-drive guise.

Above this, three four-wheel-drive models are offered: the £69,800, 402bhp Macan 4; £75,400, 509bhp Macan 4S, added to the line-up today; and the £95,000, 630bhp Macan Turbo.

The electric Macan will be sold alongside the petrol-powered version until the end of 2025, when the line-up will become exclusively electric.

The E-Macan moniker used by Porsche during development has been dropped for the production model, which will be known simply as Macan.

Originally scheduled for launch in 2023 but delayed due to software issues, the electric Macan is a central part of Porsche’s plan to phase out its petrol offerings and make electric models comprise 80% of its global sales by 2030.

“The new Macan lays the engineering foundations for other future electric models from Porsche,” said Jörg Kerner, vice-president of the Macan product line.

The model has been developed alongside the Audi Q6 E-tron, which shares its Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture and key parts of its chassis, batteries and power electronics with the new Porsche.

The electric Cayenne's exterior styling moves away from the familiar look established by the original Macan and draws on design cues from the Taycan, most notably in its distinctive rectangular headlights and wraparound LED rear light bar.

The roofline and overall silhouette are significantly sleeker than the first-generation Macan, particularly in the rakish rear end, which houses a retractable spoiler that deploys in various stages to increase downforce.

At 4784mm long, 1938mm wide and 1622mm tall, the new electric Macan is 103mm longer, 15mm wider and a scant 2mm lower than the existing petrol model. The wheelbase is also 86mm longer, at 2893mm.

The interior matches that of the current Cayenne in terms of style and layout. It features up to three digital displays: a standard 12.6in curved instrument cluster and 10.9in infotainment touchscreen, plus an optional separate 10.9in touchscreen for the passenger, which allows them to stream videos and adjust certain vehicle features.

The infotainment set-up is based on an Android Automotive operating system, which offers a ‘Hey Porsche’ voice assistant as well as a new Porsche App Centre, where occupants can directly access and download apps from third-party providers.

As with the Cayenne, the gear selector has been moved from the centre console to a higher position on the dashboard, providing additional space for two cupholders and a smartphone charging pad within the centre console.

The longer wheelbase enables greater leg room in both rows, while boot space is claimed to be 540 litres, 43 litres more than in the petrol Macan, despite the new model’s coupé-style roof. There is an 84-litre ‘frunk’ too.

The rear-wheel-drive entry-level Macan uses a single permanent synchronous motor, which is produced by Porsche at its manufacturing base in Zuffenhausen, Germany, and is attached to the rear axle. This produces 355bhp and 415lb ft, which is good for a 0-62mph time of 5.7sec.

A key reason for the single-motor set-up, however, is better range. Without the all-wheel drive system, the entry Macan model is 110kg lighter. Using the same 100kWh battery, it is able to achieve a maximum WLTP range of 398 miles.

Meanwhile, the three four-wheel-drive models use two permanent synchronous motors, with a single-speed gearbox on each axle. The front motor is supplied by Bosch.

In the Macan 4, they deliver a combined 402bhp and 479lb ft to give a 0-62mph time of 5.1sec and a governed top speed of 137mph. 

The Macan 4S offers 442bhp (and up to 508bhp and 605lb ft for short periods of overboost) and a 0-62mph time of 4.1sec. 

An overboost feature is also offered in the Macan Turbo, pushing output to 630bhp and 833lb ft. That’s 196bhp and a huge 428lb ft more than the most powerful petrol Macan and enables 0-62mph in 3.3sec and a 162mph top speed.

The Macan’s 100kWh battery can be charged at up to 270kW on an 800V DC system, giving a 10-80% top-up within 21 minutes, according to Porsche. Up to 240kW of electric energy can be recuperated under braking and deceleration.

The official WLTP ranges are put at 381 miles for the Macan 4, 376 miles for the Macan 4S,  and 367 miles for the Macan Turbo. Porsche says the new electric Macan has been developed to deliver class-leading dynamics. “Our aim is to offer the sportiest model in its segment,” said Kerner. “Thanks to its lower centre of gravity as well as its steering precision, it delivers a real sports car feeling.”

The Macan 4 rides on steel suspension with new twin-valve dampers, while the Macan Turbo receives a more advanced air suspension set-up with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and variable electronic damping control.

The new electronically controlled Porsche Traction Management system of the new Macan operates up to five times faster than the four-wheel drive system of the existing Macan, the company claims, and it reacts to a loss of traction at one wheel and apportions power to another within 10 milliseconds. Further traction-enhancing systems include Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus.

Offered as standard on the new Macan Turbo, it acts as an electronic rear differential lock, apportioning power to each rear wheel according to traction and yaw rates. Both the Macan 4 and Macan Turbo have optional rear steering – a first for the Macan – which operates with a maximum steering angle of up to 5deg, giving the new SUV a turning circle of 11.1m.

Porsche will begin building the new Macan later this year alongside the petrol-engined Macan, Cayenne and Panamera in Leipzig, Germany.

At around the same time, it is set to launch a heavily updated version of the Taycan saloon, and the first details of the electric Cayenne are expected to be given in 2025, when Porsche will also launch the long-awaited electric Boxster and Cayman.