With a grand total of 95,604 units delivered in 2022, the Cayenne was Porsche’s most popular product. As shown in the adjacent teaser images, an updated version of the large luxury SUV has already been previewed prior to a world premiere scheduled to take place in April. The current-gen model has been around since 2017 but rather than switching to the next generation, it’ll get a comprehensive facelift and remain on sale for many years to come.
Meanwhile, rumor has it the peeps from Zuffenhausen are also working on an all-electric version scheduled to come out in 2026. Other than the name, it won’t have much else in common with today’s SUV since it’ll ride on a different platform. Autocar has it on good authority Porsche is plotting a Cayenne EV on the same Premium Platform Electric (PPE) underpinnings planned for the next-gen, electric-only Macan. The architecture is being developed in collaboration with Audi, which will use it initially for a Q6 E-Tron and an A6 E-Tron.
If the 2026 launch date is accurate, it means the Cayenne EV (name not official) will be released after the Macan EV but before a larger, three-row electric SUV that has already been officially announced. Expect a lot of power considering the smaller electric crossover will be offered with as much as 603 horsepower (450 kilowatts) and more than 738 pound-feet (1,000 Newton-meters) of torque for the flagship version. It might also receive a battery larger than the 100-kWh pack earmarked for the zero-emission Macan.
Courtesy of 800V tech, the Porsche Cayenne without a combustion engine will support fast charging at over 270 kW. The range is not known for the time being, but an educated guess tells us the engineers are targeting at least 300 miles (482 kilometers) in the EPA cycle to compete with the Mercedes EQS SUV. Rear-wheel steering is likely planned since the Macan EV will have it, along with an already confirmed electronically controlled rear axle differential lock.
Much like it’ll be the case with the Macan-badged SUVs, the ICE-powered Cayenne will be sold alongside the EV model for a number of years before Porsche will pull the plug on combustion engines. That won’t be the case with the 718 lineup as the Boxster and Spyder will go electric-only when the next generation arrives in 2025.
