Porsche to debut the EV Cayenne this year
Porsche moves up the release date of the electric Cayenne while pushing back the debut of the 718 Boxster & Cayman
Electric Cayenne Test Vehicles - Porsche Newsroom
Two years ago, Porsche announced that the Cayenne would be getting an all-electric variety that would live alongside the recently aggressively refreshed gas-powered model. In an event on the West Coast of the United States, CEO Oliver Blume recently confirmed that the electric Cayenne would be making its debut later this year in 2025.
The new electric model will be built in the same factory in Bratislava, Slovakia, alongside the current ICE model. Both models will live on together while the world slowly transitions to an electric powertrain. This is unlike the Macan, where the ICE model has been retired in Europe due to cybersecurity issues. With the recent news that Porsche might develop a fourth SUV (Macan, Cayenne, 7-seat electric SUV) due to a slower electric adoption rate, it will be interesting to see how long the ICE Cayenne is sold.
Electric Cayenne Test Vehicles - Porsche Newsroom
Electric Cayenne Test Vehicles - Porsche Newsroom
Electric Cayenne Test Vehicles - Porsche Newsroom
What makes this news so interesting is that Porsche announced the 718 Boxster and Cayman were going electric prior to any announcement of the Cayenne. Furthermore, test vehicles have been spotted over the years as Porsche continues to develop the models. However, development seems to have met some complications as priority has shifted to the EV Cayenne.
It is an interesting strategy as the 718 models did not receive the same kind of aggressive refresh as the Cayenne. Further indicated that plans must have changed internally. All Porsche had to say about the 718 models was that it was technically on track for a mid-decade debate and that the 718 models would come after the launch of the EV Cayenne. It cannot come soon enough as the 718 models are meeting the same fate as the ICE Macan by the middle of the year and will no longer be sold in Europe due to the same security reasons.
Lastly, regarding the confirmed Porsche SUV news, the 7-seat Leipzig flagship model announced in 2022 is still on track and has moved into the “medium term.” However, CFO Lutz Meschke let slip last year that Porsche could be thinking about making the new model either a hybrid or a traditional ICE.
It seems that Porsche is having trouble balancing weight and range. Perhaps the engineering team is trying to create a suitable bridge between today’s battery technology and tomorrow’s solid-state solution. Porsche’s powertrain strategy seems to be ever-evolving, as the transition to electric has certainly caused some turmoil in the industry as a whole.