Porsche Cayenne Electric and Richard Hammond: Former Top Gear star tests the new electric Cayenne

Visitors to the 2025 UK British Championship hillclimb at Shelley Walsh were astonished when a Porsche Cayenne EV suddenly rolled up to the starting line. The electric SUV, which hadn't yet been officially unveiled, sported only a minimal fuel tank, covering almost nothing. The only thing that was disconcerting was the attached roof rack. Amazingly, the electric SUV competed in the "Road Cars, Production, Electric Drive" class. Behind the wheel was Formula E test driver Gabriela Jilkova. She powered the Cayenne EV up the hill in 31.28 seconds, beating the SUV record at Shelley Walsh by over four seconds.

Richard Hammond, British star presenter known from the cult TV series "Top Gear" and "The Grand Tour," also had a Cayenne Electric in his hands. He tested the electric SUV for practical purposes, using it during the film shoot to transport a more than 100-year-old classic car weighing over two tons. Although it had to pull around three tons, including the trailer, the Cayenne Electric handled the task effortlessly, according to Hammond: "I barely noticed the heavy weight behind me. The Cayenne handled the task with ease."

In developing the Cayenne Electric, Porsche placed great emphasis on a high towing capacity. As one of the first electric cars in the world, it will be able to tow up to 3.5 tons and receive the corresponding approval. This would put it on par with the current combustion-engine Cayenne. "Our customers have always valued the Cayenne's high utility value. Therefore, we didn't want to make any compromises in developing the all-electric model," says series manager Michael Schätzle. The body, drivetrain, and thermal management of the high-voltage system are designed accordingly robustly.

The new model, built in Bratislava, is expected to reach customers starting in 2026 and will be positioned below the electric "K1" starting in 2028. The "K1," in turn, is to be built in Leipzig starting in 2028 and establish itself as a kind of higher-level Cayenne. However, the launch of the electric Cayenne does not automatically mean the end of the combustion engine variant. Porsche plans to continue developing its high-performance hybrid and combustion engine models in parallel. The successful SUV will also be available worldwide in three drivetrain variants beyond 2030.

Back to the Cayenne EV: The fourth generation is based on the PPE (Premium Platform Electric) platform developed jointly with Audi. As with the electric Macan, Porsche uses 800-volt technology and a charging capacity of over 270 kW. Charging to 80 percent should be possible in less than 25 minutes. Charging stations with 400-volt technology utilize so-called bank charging.

The vehicle features two permanently excited synchronous motors (PSMs) that enable all-wheel drive. Maximum torque exceeds 1,000 Nm, and the overboost system delivers well over 600 hp. In the smaller Macan EV, the lithium-ion battery has a capacity of up to 100 kWh. The battery consists of twelve modularly arranged prismatic cells, the number of which can be adjusted depending on the wheelbase.

Other technical features include torque vectoring, all-wheel steering, and "Porsche Active Ride," which the manufacturer will offer in its SUV in the future. The active suspension keeps the body horizontal at all times, even during dynamic braking, steering, and acceleration. The resulting balanced distribution of wheel loads is designed to ensure perfect road contact.

Visually, the E-Cayenne takes its styling cues from the Taycan. Low-set headlights and a contoured hood, along with an aggressive apron, round out the front. The side is characterized by flared wheel arches and a classic SUV line with a steeply sloping tailgate. The rear features a diffuser and narrow lights connected by an LED strip. A coupé version of the E-SUV will also be available. Our illustrator has already created a corresponding model.

Inside, the driver faces a digital cockpit and grips the typical three-spoke steering wheel with a small impact absorber. Another display in the dashboard displays the comfort and infotainment systems.

The next public appearance of the Porsche Cayenne Electric is just around the corner: From July 10th to 13th, it will be on display at the Festival of Speed ​​in Goodwood.