Next-gen Porsche Cayenne could be fully electric

The next-generation Porsche Cayenne, due around 2025, could be fully electric - but only if battery technology has advanced significantly.

Porsche has already committed to launching the fully electric Taycan saloon later this year, and will follow it with launches of the Taycan Cross Turismo estate and the next-generation Porsche Macan, which will launch in 2021 in both EV and petrol-powered forms.

However, pressure from markets - led by China, the world’s largest car market and largest EV market, is leading Porsche to evaluate launching more EV models, including the next-gen Cayenne. 

“Of course we are discussing the electrification of the Cayenne - but we are doing the same for every model line,” said Wolfgang Butschek, Porsche’s manager for sales and marketing. “Many markets are asking for electric cars - but we have a strategy of developing three drivetrains - petrol, plug in hybrid and EV - at the same time.”

Porsche CEO Oliver Blume also admitted discussions were ongoing about the next-generation Cayenne’s powertrain, saying it is “a discussion for the next decade”.

It is believed that the decision to electrify the Cayenne could rest on the development of solid state battery technology by 2025; if successful, it would allow more energy dense batteries to be developed at a lower cost and a lighter weight, removing many of the compromises inherent to today’s battery-electric cars, and which would have a particular impact on an inherently heavy vehicle like the Cayenne.

By the time the next generation Cayenne launches new Euro 7 regulations for combustion engined cars will also be in place, raising the possibility that the Cayenne could follow the Macan’s lead and be sold in both EV and engined forms.

Talking about the decision to sell parallel versions of the Macan, Blume said: “They will sit side by side for two to three years at least, then we can decide what to do based on where the world is. Some markets want electric now; others are a long way from that decision because the infrastructure isn’t there.

“We have time on our side before we have to make a decision.”