Porsche Cayenne Electric arrives with 1140bhp for £130k

In top-rung Turbo form, the dual-motor powertrain – with launch control activated – puts out a staggering 1140bhp and 1106lb ft of torque.

That equates to a blistering 0-62mph time of 2.5sec and a 0-124mph time of 7.4sec. Speed tops out at 162mph.

This power and speed puts the 2.5-tonne-plus SUV on par with hypercars such as the Bugatti Veyron and Aston Martin Valhalla.

It also surpasses the 1093bhp Taycan Turbo GT as the most powerful Porsche road car ever made, while placing it as the joint-third fastest Porsche alongside the latest 911 Turbo S. It is beaten only by the Taycan Turbo S (2.4sec) and Taycan Turbo GT (2.2sec).

Key to this extreme power is the Cayenne Turbo Electric’s rear motor, which features direct oil cooling – an innovation derived from motorsport that Porsche says ensures “high continuous output and efficiency”.

During normal driving, the Turbo model puts out up to 845bhp, with an extra 174bhp on offer (for 10sec at a time) via a 'push to pass' button on the steering wheel.

The entry-level EV is also equipped with a dual-motor drivetrain but with a much lower output of 402bhp - the same as is offered by the Macan 4 Electric.

With that decrease in power, the 0-62mph sprint is extended to 4.8sec and top speed reduced to 143mph.

Towing capacity for both models is rated at 3.5 tonnes.

Energy in both instances is supplied by a 113kWh battery. For the entry-level car, up to 398 miles of range is offered, with up to 387 miles in the Turbo.

That puts the Cayenne Electric above rivals such as the BMW iX and Lotus Eletre and what is expected from the incoming Range Rover Electric.

The PPE platform’s 800V electrical system means charging speeds can reach as much as 390kW via an appropriate DC charger. This means a near-200-mile top-up (10-80% charge) in less than 16 minutes. Up to 600kW of power can be achieved via braking recuperation.

Porsche claims the Cayenne Electric is the first car on the market to be offered with wireless charging; it can top up inductively at speeds of up to 11kW.

To do so, owners will need to pay £2000 for a water-cooled charge receptor (which weighs 15kg and is bolted behind the protective underbody cladding) and £3000 for a charging pad. All UK-spec Cayenne EVs will be prepared with the necessary wiring and hoses to accept the receptor.

Porsche is expected to offer a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive version of the Cayenne Electric after launch, as it did with the Macan Electric.

The Turbo model is fitted with a trick suspension – named Porsche Active Ride – that Porsche says almost completely compensates for body roll and pitch.

It also gets a torque-vectoring system and a limited-slip differential at the rear. Both models get rear-wheel steering too.

DESIGN

The new Cayenne is quite a departure from the third-generation car, as part of an effort to make it as slippery as possible.

This effort is most notably seen at the front. Where before sat the Cayenne’s signature wide grille now sits a solid panel and lower bonnet line.

A raft of active aerodynamic features have also been added, to both aid efficiency and improve driving dynamics. These include moveable cooling flaps on the nose, air curtains, an adaptive roof spoiler and, at the rear, a lower diffuser and, exclusively on the Turbo, active blades.

The changes mean the Cayenne Electric has a drag coefficient of 0.25 – 0.1 better than the Eletre. For reference, the Mercedes-Benz CLA EQ, the most efficient EV currently on sale, has a drag coefficient of 0.21.

The newcomer is also offered with an optional off-road pack, which increases approach angles and adds extra bolstering – especially around the battery – for use away from Tarmac.

It's 55mm longer than the car it replaces, sitting at 4985mm long, 1980mm wide and 1674mm tall. 

That extra length is mainly down to the new wheelbase (3023mm) and most notably impacts rear leg room, which has been increased by 130mm.

INTERIOR

At the centre of the cabin is Porsche's new Flow Display. This OLED panel combines the instrument cluster with a 14.25in infotainment touchscreen (split horizontally into two panels) and optional 14.9in passenger touchscreen for the largest interior unit ever fitted to a Porsche.