Porsche starts a new electric era with battery-powered Cayenne

Porsche will be furthering its electric ambitions with the introduction of a new electric Cayenne.

The battery-powered model, which joins existing Macan and Taycan vehicles in the firm’s electric vehicle line-up, will arrive with a range of up to 398 miles and a rapid charge speed of up to 400kW which would allow for a 10 to 80 per cent top-up in 16 minutes.

The Cayenne Electric will also be one of the first production cars available with inductive charging. With this feature, drivers can park their car over a ‘floor plate’ which wirelessly charges the car at speeds of up to 11kW.

From launch, the Cayenne Electric will be available either in base form, or as a high-performance Turbo model. With up to 442bhp, the standard Cayenne Electric will manage 0-60mph in 4.6 seconds, while the Turbo version takes that output up to 1,140bhp and 1,500Nm of torque, which means it can go from 0-60mph in under 2.5 seconds.

Porsche says that the Cayenne Electric can also generate ‘Formula E levels’ of recuperation, returning up to 600kW of charging power through braking and slowing down. In fact, the German firm says that ‘about 97 per cent’ of braking operations can be managed purely by the electric motors and the regenerative braking function.

All models get adaptive air suspension as standard, while the Turbo gains a limited-slip differential for even sharper cornering characteristics. Rear-axle steering can be added as an option to help with low-speed driving agility.

The new Cayenne Electric measures in at 55mm longer than the combustion-engined version, bringing a 13cm boost in wheelbase too. As a result, there’s more rear-seat legroom than in petrol-powered versions, while boot space stands at 781 litres – slightly more than the 771 litres you’ll find in the standard car. A 90-litre ‘frunk’ provides space for the charging cables, too, while Porsche says that the Cayenne Electric is rated to tow up to 3.5 tonnes, the current maximum in the UK.

Inside, there’s a new ‘Flow Display’ which brings a curved OLED panel that has been designed to blend into the centre console. There’s also a 14.25-inch driver display and an optional passenger display of the same size. Plus, a head-up display with artificial reality technology can be added, essentially turning the windscreen into an 87-inch display area.

In terms of pricing, the Cayenne Electric starts at £83,200, representing only a small increase over the £77,500 you’ll pay for a standard petrol model. The Turbo, meanwhile, starts at £130,00, with both models available to order now.