The Porsche Macan (from $133,700 plus on-road costs) is saying goodbye to petrol power as it welcomes an all-electric model line-up for its second generation. It debuts Porsche’s new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) with 800-volt architecture, dual motors, and up to 470 kW (639 PS) and 1,130 Nm in range-topping Macan Turbo spec. The resulting 0-100km/h time of 3.3 seconds in the Macan Turbo bests the outgoing Macan GTS by a full second (4.3 seconds).
Expect the new Macan EV to arrive in Australia by late 2024 where it hopes to continue the sales success of the out-going petrol model. Last year, the Macan was Australia’s top-selling Porsche with 2,925 units delivered (6.9% increase YoY) beating the Cayenne (1,546), 911 (558), and Taycan (535).
RELATED: Porsche Taycan Destroys Tesla’s Nürburgring EV Record.
Pricing is Up, Quite a Lot
We’ll be receiving two models at launch: the Porsche Macan 4 and the Porsche Macan Turbo. Here’s how much they cost:
- Porsche Macan 4 – from $133,700 plus on-road costs
- Porsche Macan Turbo – from $180,100 plus on-road costs
For reference, the outgoing petrol-powered Porsche Macan S was priced at $117,500 and the range-topping Macan GTS was priced at $141,700.
The new pricing now presents an interesting proposition (or dilemma) for Porsche buyers. The petrol-powered (and much larger) Porsche Cayenne range kicks off at $138,700 plus on-road costs in Australia and is now the only choice for customers who want the convenience of filling up at the petrol station for longer journeys in their do-everything SUV. Even the Cayenne S Coupe with its turbo V8 is $188,500 plus on-road costs.
Existing Macan owners who aren’t ready to jump into the electric arena will now have to look at a larger petrol-powered Cayenne or elsewhere.
RELATED: Our First Time Living With an EV, Porsche Taycan.
Turbo Nameplate is Back, Still Confusing
Porsche has been readying the Turbo nameplate for the all-electric Macan since the GTS took its place after a model refresh in 2021. There are still no turbos in sight, but the all-electric Macan Turbo debuts as the most powerful Macan ever with 470 kW (639 PS*) 1,130 Nm of torque and a 0-100km/h time of 3.3 seconds.
It features air suspension with two-valve dampers as standard, and there’s new rear-axle steering and Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus with an electronically controlled differential lock to match. Cosmetic enhancements to the Turbo include a Panoramic roof system, Porsche Electric Sport Sound, Sport Chrono Package, and 4-zone Advanced climate control.
This is above and beyond the offering on the base Macan 4 which offers 300 kW (408 PS*) of power on overboost and 650 Nm of torque and accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 5.2 seconds.
RELATED: 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Unveiled, Priced for Australia.
Charging is Fast, Official Range is Great
The new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) with 800-volt architecture offers up to 270 kW DC charging and AC charging up to 11 kW at household wall boxes. This means the battery can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in around 21 minutes if you can find a fast enough charger. The electric motors are also efficient power generators and can feed up to 240 kW of energy back into the batteries under regenerative braking.
The claimed WLTP driving ranges are 613km for the Macan 4 and 591km for the Macan Turbo thanks to a 100kWh battery pack. It’s larger than that found in the top-of-the-range Porsche Taycan Turbo S which has a total capacity of 93.4 kWh and 484km of WLTP range.
Naturally, it’s a very slippery design with a drag coefficient of 0.25cd. This compares well to the petrol-powered Macan (0.35cd) but is still a ways off popular electric SUVs like the Tesla Model Y (0.23Cd).
RELATED: 2023 Porsche GT4 RS Review: 24 Hours in a Road-Legal Race Car.
Interior is Refreshed, Technology a Focal Point
Like the larger petrol-powered Cayenne, the interior features a large free-standing 12.6-inch digital instrument cluster that can be paired with an optional 10.9-inch passenger display. The central infotainment screen, however, is smaller than the 12.3-inch unit in the Cayenne and measures 10.9-inch with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to match that found in the previous generation vehicle.
It now runs Android Automotive software – like that in the Polestar 2 – meaning users can download apps from third-party providers and install them directly in the new Macan.
You’ll also find a new optional head-up display with augmented reality technology where virtual elements like navigation arrows appear in front of the driver (10 metres away) and appear as an 87-inch display.
Usable space has now increased with a front trunk offering 84 litres of capacity and the space behind the rear seat bench is up to 540 litres. It’s not the most spacious EV at this size – the Tesla Model Y has a 117-litre front trunk and 854 litres of cargo space – however, the aim here is sportscar-like performance and the driving position reflects this as the driver and front passenger now sit up to 28 mm lower than before.
RELATED: 2023 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT Review: More Supercar Than SUV.
So Macan, But Electric?
Pretty much. Porsche hasn’t gone so far as to completely reinvent the wheel here with the second-generation Macan on paper, but they’ve created what is sure to be the best-driving electric SUV on the market.
It’s been released at a time when the electric vehicle market is trying to endure a lull as innovation stalls and the same power, range, and technology becomes available across all brands. The Porsche Taycan remains the best electric vehicle you can buy, and the Macan carries across its best aspects, so we’d expect it to defer from the status quo with an extra special taste of good ol’ Porsche innovation.
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