Porsche predicts as much as 80% of its sales will be electric vehicles by the end of the decade, and that means most of the automaker’s lineup will swap cylinders for battery cells in the years ahead. Porsche itself has said only the 911 is expected to still have a gas engine by the time 2030 rolls around.
The fully electric Taycan is already close to matching the 911 for sales, and an electric Macan is due to start sales in the first half of 2024. Porsche is also out testing an electric 718 that’s expected around 2025, and the automaker has also confirmed an electric flagship SUV with three rows of seats that will arrive around 2027.
Autocar has now reported that the Cayenne will go the electric route in 2026. According to the report, the electric Cayenne will use a version of Volkswagen Group’s PPE platform designed for high-volume luxury models. The platform makes its debut later this year in an Audi Q6 E-Tron compact crossover—essentially Audi’s version of the electric Macan.
The PPE platform is flexible enough to spawn low- and high-riding models in multiple size categories. For the electric Macan, the platform will feature a 98-kwh battery pack and a single motor driving each axle. Combined output of at least one grade will be more than 603 hp, and we can expect even higher outputs for an electric Cayenne.
Though it’s yet to be confirmed, we may even see a four-motor powertrain in the electric Cayenne. Such a system would not only deliver high power outputs but also quicker and more precise control for torque vectoring. Porsche in 2019 said it was developing just such a system.
Similar to how Porsche plans to sell the current gas-powered Macan and 718 alongside their electric successors for a short period, the gas-powered Cayenne will also likely stick around after the arrival of the electric version. To keep it fresh, the gas-powered Cayenne is set to receive a major update this spring, an update that will include new styling on the outside and the latest technology in the cabin.
