When you think of Porsche, the first model you think of is probably the 911. But judging by the bottom line, Porsche is an SUV company — and the brand's most important car is the Macan crossover, Porsche's best-selling car by far. After all, Porsche sells more Macans than 911s, 718s, and Taycans combined.
We've known for some time that Porsche will launch the next-generation Macan as an electric car, a strong commitment to the EV future. That SUV is set to debut in 2023. And now, Porsche has announced that "highly camouflaged" test versions of it are leaving the carmaker's facility for the first time.
Details revealed about the new Macan are scarce, but Porsche did offer a few tidbits with these "spy photos." Porsche says the electric Macan will be the first vehicle launched on VW Group's PPE, or Premium Performance Electric, platform, which will underpin several mass-market EV cars and crossovers for Porsche and Audi. (The Taycan and Audi E-Tron GT use a seperate architecture, the high-performance J1 platform.)
The electric Macan, like the Taycan, will offer 800-volt electricals for faster charging. And Porsche says it will be the "sportiest model in the segment," presumably referring to luxury compact crossovers, and offer "best-in-class performance."
Porsche also confirmed that the Macan will not go entirely EV. The carmaker says it will launch an updated version of the current internal-combustion Macan later this year. That model will sell alongside the EV, to better suit all tastes.
That said, Porsche buyers' tastes may be changing, and they are the sort of buyers who can and will pay a premium for EVs. In Q1 2021, Porsche sold 2,008 Taycans in the U.S., more units than the 718 and the Panamera combined. Give the market a couple more years. Add in that the electric Macan boasts a popular crossover body style and sits at the more affordable end of the luxury car market, and Porsche may have a major hit on its hands.
