Porsche's mid-size SUV not going entirely electric

Wednesday, 27 February 2019

UPDATED: Porsche cleverly played this one for the maximum headlines, firing off a press release last week that stated in no uncertain terms that the next generation Macan SUV - it's best-selling vehicle - will be built on a pure electric platform when it debuts in 2021.

Which is true, but what they failed to mention is that they would continue to build the current generation alongside it in petrol and diesel guises as well.

The company confirmed that the next generation of Macan will be built on the PPE (Premium Platform Electric) platform currently being developed by Porsche and Audi, making it the third all-electric model slated for release from the German manufacturer with the launch of the Taycan later this year, closely followed by the Cross Turismo wagon/SUV crossover based on the Taycan.

The Macan has been a huge success for Porsche and is currently the company's best-selling model.

While the Macan will be underpinned by the PPE platform, the Taycan and Cross Turismo used the Porsche-developed J1 platform, although the Macan will used the same 800-volt technology.

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UK magazine Autocar has since revealed that the decision was also made to extend the lifespan of the existing model in order to keep it in production alongside the all-electric second-generation car.

'The petrol-engine Macan will continue to be produced alongside the new electric PPE-based Macan in Leipzig,' a senior spokesperson from Porsche's Zuffenhausen headquarters told Autocar.

The spokesperson declined to say how long the two models would stay in production alongside each other, simply saying their would be 'a transition time, but just how long that will be has not yet been determined.'

According to Autocar Porsche says the decision to continue with the current Macan is due to concerns that some markets are not prepared for a sudden switch to pure electric drivetrains.

'The move to a fully electric model line-up is suitable for certain markets but, due to a lack of infrastructure and other hurdles, it is yet not possible in other markets,' said Porsche. 'We are constantly monitoring the situation and can react accordingly.'

The company said that by 2022 it will be investing more than six billion euros in electric mobility, and by 2025 50 per cent of all new Porsche vehicles could have an electric drive system.

'Electromobility and Porsche go together perfectly; not just because they share a high-efficiency approach, but especially because of their sporty character,' said Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Board of Management of Porsche AG.

'Nevertheless, over the next ten years we will focus on a drive mix consisting of even further optimised petrol engines, plug-in hybrid models, and purely electrically operated sports cars. Our aim is to take a pioneering role in technology, and for this reason we will continue to consistently align the company with the mobility of the future.'

Part of Porsche's massive EV spend-up includes investment in the company's Leipzig plant to allow it to produce PPE-based electric vehicles on its existing production line and the company says that the decision to manufacture the next generation of the Macan at the its Leipzig site was taken as early as the beginning of July last year.

The Leipzig facility started series production of the Cayenne SUV back in 2002 with 259 employees, and when the Macan production began there in 2014, the Leipzig plant was expanded into a 'full plant', which included its own body shop and paint shop.

When the factory started building the Macan 40,000 units per year of the compact SUV were planned; today it produces more than 90,000 units annually for global markets and there are currently more than 4,000 employees at the site.

While Porsche says that production of the next Macan will begin 'early in the next decade', a specific on-sale date hasn't yet been indicated, nor any range or power figures, although it has previously said that the Taycan - that uses the same 800-volt system - will have a range of 400 kilometres, after charging in less than 20 minutes, and is expected to have a total system output of more than 450kW that will enable it to accelerate to 100km/h in less than 3.5 seconds.