We were all much younger when Porsche announced the second generation of its Macan would be fully electric. It happened in early 2019, and after five years of playing the teasing game, Zuffenhausen's zero-emission crossover is finally ready for the limelight. Later today, the wraps will come off the EV-only Macan.
It has some big shoes to fill considering the gasoline model has been a huge hit for the German brand ever since it went on sale in 2014. Despite getting up there in years with moderate tweaks, it's still a massive commercial success. In 2023, it was the second-best selling product with 87,355 units or fewer than 200 vehicles behind the leader Cayenne. Can the Macan EV replicate the ICE model's popularity? Only time will tell.
Since Porsche has been talking extensively about its first electric SUV in recent months, most pieces of the puzzle are already in place. The Macan EV will be the Volkswagen Group's first model to ride on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture co-developed with Audi. The Four Rings are getting their own version later this year as the Q6 E-Tron, plus a swoopy Sportback derivative. In Macan’s case, look for the top model – possibly a Turbo – to offer over 600 horsepower and 738 pound-feet (1,000 Newton-meters) of torque from a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup.
Featuring evolutionary styling, the Macan sans a combustion engine is getting a new air suspension with two-valve dampers for a silky-smooth ride. For better agility, Porsche's engineers are giving it rear-wheel steering and a rear electronic locking differential. Inside, it'll follow current trends by adopting a screen-heavy dashboard while retaining several shortcut buttons for air conditioning.
The Macan EV won't supersede the gas model, at least not right away. Porsche intends to sell the first- and second-generation models concomitantly before pulling the plug on the ICE model in a few years from now. However, the gas-fueled model could become extinct later this year in the 27 countries that form the European Union. New cybersecurity regulations are expected to kill the conventionally powered Macan in the EU in a few months. Even if that's going to be the case, Porsche will continue to sell the vehicle in markets outside the EU.
Logic tells us the electric model will command a significant premium over the regular Macan. Price parity between ICE and EV always seems a couple of years away. Chances are it'll be a while before forgoing the combustion engine won't cost you extra.
The 2025 Porsche Macan EV livestream debut starts at 6:30 AM Eastern / 11:30 AM GMT.
