No less than a decade after the introduction of the first Macan, its successor starts a new chapter in which petrol no longer has a place. The electric Porsche Macan II may not have many surprises up its sleeve, but it raises the bar in quite a few areas.
Edgy exterior
At first glance, the new Porsche Macan looks edgier than its predecessor. The nose with divided headlights was clearly inspired by the Taycan. In profile, you might see the resemblance with the Cayenne Coupé. The most original angle is probably the rear, where the top of the boot lid forms an angle of some 45 degrees with the LED bar featuring a three-dimensional Porsche logo and then plunges vertically down to the sculptural bumper. Another nice 'detail': the doors are of the frameless type.
The electric Macan is 4,784 mm long, which is 58 mm more than the first-gen model. The width (1,938 mm) and height (1,622 mm) are almost unchanged. Interestingly, the wheelbase has grown by 86 mm to 2,893 mm, much to the benefit of the rear passengers. The extra length between the axles is compensated by short front and rear overhangs. Nevertheless, the trunk can now hold 540 litres and there is also a frunk in the nose of the car.
High motor and charging power
Porsche uses the latest generation permanently excited synchronous motors (PSMs) on the front and rear axle. If you activate the launch control, the Macan 4 delivers 300 kW (408 hp) of power, while the Macan Turbo distributes up to 470 kW (639 hp) over the four wheels. Maximum torque is 650 and 1,130 Nm, respectively. The Macan 4 accelerates to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds, while the Macan Turbo needs just 3.3 seconds.
The electric motors get their energy from a lithium-ion battery with a net capacity of 95 kWh. Operating at 800 volts, it can take 270 kW of direct current off a fast charger, reducing the 0-to-80-percent charging time io 21 minutes. And what if there are no 800 volts available? At 400-volt charging stations, the battery is split into two units, each capable of handling 135 kW. Much less impressive is the power of the on-board charger: It is rated at 11 kW. At 591 to 613 kilometres, the Macan does not set records in terms of WLTP driving range either.
Sporty, connected interior
The interior is unmistakably Porsche: the sloping design of the centre console reinforces the impression of a low and performance-oriented position in the car, and the width of the cockpit is emphasised by an integrated black panel. The infotainment and human-machine interface are brand new. For the first time, the passenger can also view information, adjust settings on the infotainment system or stream video content while the car is driving by means of an optional 10.9-inch screen.
Equally new is the head-up display with augmented reality. The biggest surprise concerns the operating system, which Porsche buys from Google (Android Automotive). It goes without saying that the navigation system runs on Google Maps. It schedules any charging stops based on various dynamic criteria. The "Hey Porsche" voice assistant should take the ease of operation to unprecedented levels.
Macan 4
- Acceleration 0-100km/h5.2 seconds
- Power408 hp / 300 kW
- Torque660 Nm
Macan Turbo
- Acceleration 0-100km/h3.3 seconds
- Power639 hp / 470 kW
- Torque1130 Nm
