Porsche in March announced that the next Cayenne will be electric, and now we have what’s likely to be photos of one of the first test mules.
The vehicle may look like one of the many prototypes for the electric Macan due in early 2024, but there are a number of clues that point to it being a test mule for the fully electric fourth-generation Cayenne.
Compared to the Macan EV prototypes, the test mule has a much wider track, as indicated by the widened wheel arches. The slope of the windshield is also different and the wheelbase is slightly longer, as indicated by the rear wheels being pushed farther back.
Using Macan EV prototypes to hide the mechanicals of the Cayenne EV makes sense since both vehicles are expected to share Volkswagen Group’s PPE modular platform designed for premium EVs. The platform is flexible enough to spawn low- and high-riding models in multiple size categories.
2027 Porsche Cayenne EV test mule spy shots – Photo credit: Baldauf
For the Macan EV, the platform will feature a 98-kwh battery pack and a motor driving each axle. Combined output of at least one grade will be more than 603 hp, and even higher outputs are likely for a Cayenne EV.
Though it’s yet to be confirmed, a four-motor powertrain may be offered in the electric Cayenne. Such a system would not only deliver high power outputs but also quicker and more precise control for torque vectoring. Porsche in 2019 said it was developing just such a system.
When announcing the Cayenne EV in March, Porsche said the vehicle will come after the electric 718, which is due in 2025 and set to use a platform specific to sports cars. Porsche has also confirmed plans for a three-row electric SUV positioned above the Cayenne, which is due in 2027 and set to use a next-generation SSP Sport platform. This means the Cayenne should arrive in 2026, which would likely make it a 2027 model for the market launch.
2027 Porsche Cayenne EV test mule spy shots – Photo credit: Baldauf
Production will be handled at Volkswagen Group’s plant in Bratislava, Slovakia. The plant currently builds the gas-powered Cayenne that just underwent a major update for 2024.
Porsche predicts that as much as 80% of its sales will be electric by the end of the decade, and that means most of the automaker’s lineup will swap cylinders for battery cells in the years ahead. Porsche has previously said only the 911 is expected to still have a gas engine by the time 2030 rolls around.
An electric hypercar previewed by the recent Mission X concept is also likely to be part of the plan, though Porsche hasn’t indicated when exactly such a model would arrive.
