Given the support from the Volkswagen Group, there’s no denying Porsche is willing to upgrade the Cayenne from PHEV to EV sooner rather than later. The increasingly stringent emissions standards in the European Union also accelerate this development, let alone the electrification of the 911 in the pursuit of additional performance.
The third generation of the Cayenne, based on the MLB Evo platform, dates back to 2017. It will remain a staple in the lineup for seven years or so, which is plenty of time for Porsche to develop the fourth generation from the ground up with a focus on electrification. The timing, therefore, also favors all-electric powertrains.
“When we do a fully electric car it has to be purpose-built for electro-mobility, like the Taycan,” declared Oliver Blume, chief executive officer of the Stuttgart-based automaker founded by Ferdinand Porsche. Because the charging infrastructure and battery technologies aren’t mature enough to represent a viable alternative to internal combustion, we’re expecting Porsche to continue offering the Cayenne with conventional powertrains alongside electric options.
Blume let it slip that “the first steps for the next decade, we have to have in every segment, in our sports cars, limousines, and SUVs, an offer of petrol, hybrid, and fully electric.” Reading between the lines, the Cayenne E-Hybrid and performance-oriented Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid are here to stay.
