Electric power promises to give this sports SUV new levels of pace and agility – and we’ve already been in it
Darren Moss darren.moss@haymarket.com
SPRING
THE PORSCHE MACAN has long been one of our favourite sports SUVs, combining family-friendly practicality with grin-inducing performance and handling. That’s likely to be even more the case with the next-generation model, which is moving to electric power.
The Macan EV shares its underpinnings with the upcoming Audi Q6 e-tron, with range-topping versions being powered by two electric motors that together pump out up to 603bhp and drive all four wheels. Less potent models with a single motor and rear-wheel drive will also be available.
The Macan draws energy from a sizeable battery with a 100kWh (total) capacity, giving it an official range of up to 310 miles – farther than the rival BMW iX3 and Mercedes-Benz EQC can take you. The battery can be replenished at rates of up to 270kW, so a 10-80% top-up could take as little as 15 minutes.
So, will the Macan EV live up to its forebear’s high dynamic standards? To find out, we took an early passenger ride in a range-topping Turbo model.
Off the line, the Macan had us pinned to our seats as it sprinted to 60mph quicker than you can read this sentence. And despite its hefty weight, it felt even more agile than the current model. This is in part thanks to a new four-wheel steering system that turns the rear wheels the opposite way to the fronts at lower speeds (to help the car turn) and in same direction at motorway speeds for maximum stability. Through
