Porsche offers first glimpse inside electric Macan SUV
More than 600bhp on offer
Porsche has revealed the interior and some technical details of its new, pure-electric Macan ahead of the medium-sized SUV’s full unveiling.
Taking inspiration from the Porsche Taycan electric saloon and the larger, latest-generation Cayenne SUV, the new Macan’s cabin is awash with technology including a bank of digital interfaces.
The whole interior has been redesigned around the more modern technology, contrasting with the aging tech in the existing, petrol-powered car, which has been around for almost a decade.
Lots of screens
As with the Taycan and the Cayenne – and the forthcoming new Porsche Panamera, for that matter – the new Macan will have a massive digital instrument display.
Measuring 12.6 inches from corner to corner, the curved screen forms the highest point of the dashboard and allows the driver to customise the data on show.
That screen is joined by a large, optional head-up display with augmented reality technology. By projecting data onto the windscreen that appears to be at a distance of 10 metres from the driver, Porsche has effectively created an 87in display that picks out details and hazards on the road and overlays navigation instructions on the world outside.
More conventional is the central touchscreen, which is a little smaller than the driver’s display, at 10.9in, but offers customisation options so drivers can make their most commonly used apps more accessible.
It also comes with a new operating system that offers a range of apps, including console-style gaming when the car is stationary.
The front-seat passenger is more important than ever
That is joined by a new voice assistant, which can recognise which passenger is talking and can help find parking and charging spaces, as well as control music and navigation.
The system will also communicate partly through a new ‘communication light’ in the ambient lighting system, which can highlight which passenger the car is listening to, as well as alert drivers to safety system warnings such as those from the blind-spot monitoring.
What’s more, the Macan will be offered with Porsche’s optional passenger display, adding a touchscreen in front of the front passenger’s seat. Almost invisible to the driver, the screen allows the passenger to stream videos on the move, as well as allowing access to media and trip information functions.
High-powered charging and electric motors
As well as revealing the car’s interior, Porsche has also confirmed some details of the car’s engineering, including the battery and motors.
Sitting under the floor is a lithium-ion battery pack with a total capacity of “around 100kWh”, and the ability to charge at speeds of up to 270kW. That means a suitable charging point will be able to top up the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in less than 22 minutes.
Like the petrol-powered Macan, all versions of the electric car will come with all-wheel drive, though this time courtesy of two electric motors.
All models get much the same front motor to power the front wheels but the rear motor will differ depending on the variant. Top-of-the-range cars will get a maximum power output of more than 600bhp.
Porsche has also confirmed some technical details of the car’s chassis, telling us rear-axle steering will be available on high-end models, offering greater manoeuvrability at lower speeds and greater stability at high speeds.
That’s joined by sportier front-wheel steering than in the standard Macan, and a power steering system that is claimed to amplify “important steering information” such as road surface and grip feel, but dial out “vibrations and bumps”.
Speaking of bumps, Porsche will offer the electric Macan with a choice of conventional steel springs or air suspension, but both will be available with Porsche’s Active Suspension Management (PASM) adaptive damping system. That allows the car to adjust its suspension response to suit the road surface and the driver’s preferences.
The new Macan is set to be fully revealed in the coming months ahead of first customer deliveries, which are expected to begin in 2024. As yet, there’s no official word on pricing either in the UK or abroad.
Related articles
- If you were interested in the new electric version of the Porsche Macan, you might also like to check out what we had to say about the updated Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid
- You might be interested to read about the limited-edition Porsche 911 Dakar too
- And don’t miss our review of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS
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