There are few higher methods to grasp a brand new automobile than to expertise it alongside the engineers who constructed it. Our early prototype drive of the upcoming Porsche Cayenne EV came about in southern Europe, and it didn’t simply showcase the automobile’s immense capabilities: it provided a uncommon glimpse contained in the minds of the engineers shaping Porsche’s next-generation SUV. From chassis specialists to battery specialists, every Porsche staff member provided candid perception into their particular subject, revealing the complexity and pleasure behind this main challenge. The brand new all electrical Porsche Cayenne can be delivered to clients in an October 2026.
In complete, we drove three variations of the Cayenne EV, all as preproduction prototypes: the bottom mannequin, the Cayenne S, and the range-topping Turbo. Every prototype was camouflaged, however the intentions have been crystal clear. This new Cayenne can be Porsche’s most superior manufacturing mannequin but, and its growth displays the stress of launching an EV in a market extra sceptical than ever. Porsche is aware of this—and so they’ve thrown each little bit of expertise they’ve at it.
Though nonetheless beneath disguise, the styling language was unmistakably Porsche. Broad proportions and acquainted surfacing recalled the Macan EV, solely bigger. The distinctive EV daytime operating gentle signature and full-width rear gentle bar have been each clearly seen by the camouflage. However the largest visible speaking level was reserved for the Turbo variant, which is able to debut a wild set of deployable vertical aero blades—used not for drama, however for aerodynamic effectivity. It marks the primary time Porsche’s SUV flagship introduces exterior design parts which can be visually separate from the remainder of the vary.
Inside, the design is fully new. The Cayenne EV contains a curved central show: a near-square unit of exceptional readability and presence, and the format blends bodily controls with a well-known Taycan-style instrument panel. There are self-opening and shutting doorways (not not like a Rolls-Royce), a panoramic glass roof with ‘Sunshine Management,’ and ambient lighting that adapts relying on drive mode. Rear seat house is notably improved too, with electrically adjustable seats and 99 litres of further baggage capability over the outgoing mannequin. Within the absence of an engine, there may be 90 litres of frunk storage capability.
From the motive force’s seat, all of it feels convincingly Porsche. The seating place is low and sporty, the steering is splendidly direct, and the automobile’s immense 2.7-tonne weight is disguised with surprising effectiveness. A significant factor in that’s the new Porsche Lively Trip suspension, which permits the automobile to actively handle roll and pitch in a approach that redefines the boundaries of an SUV. It leans into corners like a sports activities saloon and glides over tough surfaces with eerie calm. Rear-axle steering and front-axle steering work in concord to enhance low-speed agility and high-speed stability.
The Turbo variant makes greater than 1,000PS in overboost mode. It’s quicker than it must be, notably when partaking launch management which pins you into the smooth leather-based seats. However that energy is matched by braking efficiency due to Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes, whereas traction is regulated by a totally variable all-wheel-drive system and electrical torque vectoring. You possibly can even disable the synthesised V8 sound in the event you want your silence to be electrical. That’s proper, one other first for Porsche, a simulated engine noise in an EV. It’s a little bit alarming at first, however you would possibly develop to find it irresistible, maybe greater than you suppose you must.
Whereas most homeowners could by no means depart the tarmac, we did. Porsche’s check route took us to a demanding off-road growth facility close to the Bassella area, the place earlier SUVs just like the Cayenne Transsyberia and VW Touareg have been honed. There, the Cayenne EV was nothing wanting extraordinary. On dry mud gradients and rocky trails, it held its personal. The optionally available Off-Highway Package deal consists of revised bumpers for higher clearance and method angles—an homage to the Cayenne’s off-road roots. Regardless of its tech-forward focus, the Cayenne EV has misplaced none of its go-anywhere spirit. It honours the unique Cayenne’s fame amongst critical off-roaders.
Even day-to-day utility is rigorously thought-about. The Cayenne EV provides greater than 600km of WLTP vary (as much as 640km on some variants), a brand new 113kWh battery with superior chemistry, and 800V structure that enables charging at as much as 400kW. Which means 10–80% cost in beneath 16 minutes and as much as 300km of vary added in 10 minutes. Recuperation is simply as spectacular, with as much as 600kW of braking vitality reclaimable—on par with Components E.
This can be a automobile that may tow 3.5 tonnes, carry your loved ones in consolation, glide silently by cities, blast by Alpine passes, and deal with harsh terrain—all with real Porsche steering really feel and composure. In some ways, it does what the primary Cayenne did over 20 years in the past: it redefines what a Porsche might be.
The Cayenne EV will not be merely a response to laws or a placeholder in a lineup. This subsequent technology is an announcement of intent. From the engineering staff’s delight to the automobile’s breadth of capacity, this prototype drive made one factor clear: the way forward for Porsche SUVs is arriving quick, and it’s trying electrical.
