Over 600bhp, 800 volt tech and ultra-fast charging for Porsche Macan EV

Tags: #electric-vehicles

Porsche has made no secret of the fact that the next-generation Macan is going to be an EV. Following in the footsteps of the Taycan, it is a natural evolution for the SUV, enabling Porsche to tap into a lucrative market. Due in the 12 months or so, we now know much more about the Macan EV’s tech.

As with the Taycan, Porsche is developing the Macan alongside Audi, basing their equivalent cars (think Q5 e-tron) on the PPE (Premium Platform Electric) architecture which will underpin a range of forthcoming cars. The respective brands reckon that this will enable them to retain their brand uniqueness whilst sharing the development costs, just as we saw with Taycan and e-tron GT.

For Porsche, dynamic aptitude and sportiness is top of the list with the goal of retaining the almost other worldly abilities of the current generation Macan to shrug off its size and deliver a fun driving experience.

Engineers are developing a powertrain to deliver on this, innovating a electronically controlled rear differential in combination with a so-called ‘Performance rear axle’ on which the motor is mounted behind the axle, creating a 52 per cent rear weight bias to aid a rear-dominant driving experience.

So the ‘engine’ is slung out at the back of the car… Very Porsche.

Both rear and all-wheel drive (dual motor) variants will be available with power up to 603bhp and 738lb-ft on tap, which is an awful lot more than the current – and most powerful – Macan GTS. As you’d expect, revised versions of Porsche’s stability management (PSM), traction management (PTM) and active suspension management (PASM) form core elements of how the new Macan will handle.

The latest Porsche traction management is a development of the system found on the Taycan, which has been used to great effect in making it hugely fast in almost any weather and road conditions, as well as agile for a heavy EV. We can expect more of the same on the Macan EV on the road, but with the added benefit of precise, immediate torque distribution between individual wheels when off road.

In addition, the rear-axle steering found on the Taycan will also be deployed on the Macan – a first for the model. Up to 50mph, the rear axle will steer in the opposite direction to the front, aiding stability. Above that speed, they steer in the same direction which – in effect – increases the length of the wheelbase and aids stability during high-speed manoeuvres.

Add PASM into the equation, which adjusts and optimises damper settings for the driving conditions and driver inputs, and the Macan should steer well. Another benefit with PASM when combined with air suspension is the ability to lower the car which will help with aerodynamics.

Given that we’re expecting a full launch this year, there’s still a lot more to find out about the Porsche Macan EV, not least of which will be the interior tech and how that has come on since Taycan was launched. We expect more news to filter out soon.