Porsche Shows Electric Macan Prototype
The Car Guide was part of a small group of journalists who headed to Milan, Italy to get up close and personal with the prototype of the upcoming electric Porsche Macan. As you can see from the images, it's difficult to actually see the final lines of this new Macan. In order to carry out the dynamic tests without revealing the final design of its SUV, Porsche added pieces of plastic on the body using adhesive (see photo gallery).
This is also the case for the headlights, where imposing stickers were added, the front bumper with a fake grille, the rear bumper with fake tailpipes and the rear lights, inspired by those of a Cayenne coupe. Affectionately named Ludmilla by the development team, this prototype is one of many models that have travelled the world for dynamic testing in real-world conditions.
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We don't know where it came from, but the reddish dirt still present in the rims suggests that the vehicle was used off-road. The Macan was also fitted with Michelin development tires, with the word "test" moulded into the sidewalls. We also noticed that the usual Michelin logo was replaced with simplistic writing.
PPE: Porsche's New Electric Architecture
In addition to the prototype, the room where we saw the vehicle was equipped with an augmented reality system. This allowed us to see the new architecture (chassis and powertrain) using a tablet. The PPE (Premium Platform Electric) will be used for other models at Porsche, but also at Audi, which participated in the development of this new 100% electric platform. No range figures have been published, since it should vary according to the aerodynamics and weight of each vehicle that will use this new platform.
But we already know that the future electric Macan will receive a 100 kWh lithium-ion battery, divided into 12 modules. The vehicle will have a maximum charging power of 270 kW, which will allow it to go from 5 to 80% of range in 25 minutes. Using an 800-volt architecture, the electric Macan’s battery will be able to adapt to the fast charger used. If the latter uses only 400 volts, the battery can separate into two 400V units instead of a single 800V unit. According to Porsche, this is more efficient and optimizes the use of lower voltages.
Another important innovation is that the manufacturer has decided to manufacture a single part that groups the charger receiving AC current (for level 1 and 2 recharging), the DC/DC system (which maintains the charge of the 12V battery and supplies the equipment that uses 12V) and the high-voltage heater.
More than 600 Horsepower
Two motors will power this future electrified Macan, one in the front and one in the back, developing a combined power of 603 horsepower (450 kW) and 738 lb-ft of torque. The vehicle will, of course, have all-wheel drive, and it will be possible to channel 100% of the torque to the front or rear as needed. Vector torque distribution and an electronically locking differential will also be integrated into the PPE architecture.
Quite a bit of effort has gone into driving dynamics, especially with the steering. Rear-wheel steering, already used on several current models, should also help with handling, although it hasn't been specified whether this system will come standard or as an option. We couldn't find out when the electric Macan will officially be available in Canada, but we're betting that this model could become very popular in our neck of the woods.
More information should be available in 2023. But it's still too early to tell when the electric Macan will actually come to market.
