Gas-Powered Porsche Macan Isn’t Going Away Anytime Soon
So, when exactly will we see the next-generation, EV-only Porsche Macan? The German automaker seems to be having trouble putting the final touches to the vehicle and getting ready for a debut.
As we reported a couple of times, the brand new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) developed by Audi and Porsche will provide the core underpinnings. Various software issues have complicated things, however, and now it appears Porsche is having second thoughts, enough to keep the current, gasoline-powered Macan around for longer than initially planned.
- Also: The Car Guide Podcast: 2023 Porsche Macan T and 2023 Volvo C40 Test Drives
- Also: Porsche Shows Electric Macan Prototype
According to Automotive News Europe, instead of phasing out the conventional Macan in North America two or three years from now, Porsche reportedly wants to keep it in the lineup as long as it takes for its electric successor to become a strong seller.
Sure, the Macan is Porsche’s second best-selling product globally at the moment, but the success of an EV shift depends largely on the response in the U.S. market. The company is said to fear that a customer pushback" about the underdeveloped charging infrastructure could negatively impact sales of the EV model.
The electric Macan was apparently shown at a recent meeting with dealers held in the Canary Islands, about seven months after The Car Guide got unique access to a camouflaged prototype near Milan. In case you missed our story, go ahead and read it now.
The new, battery-powered Macan will join the existing Taycan sedan and be followed by an electric Cayenne sometime in 2025 or 2026, as well as a future flagship electric SUV with three rows of seats. The latter will be designed primarily for North America and China, based on a different architecture called SSP Sport, and offering "strong performance, automated driving functions and a completely new experience inside."
Porsche’s goal is to sell more than 80 percent EVs by 2030. Think it’ll succeed?