Porsche’s new electric SUV has almost nothing in common with the gas Macan and yet it’s a near-perfect facsimile of the driving experience we love.
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00:00 This, to me, is what driving a Porsche is all about.
00:07 It's not about raw track performance.
00:10 It is finding a fantastic French country road and driving it so the tires just give you
00:19 a little bit of squeal.
00:25 Like the gas SUV with the same name, the Macan Electric is a compact SUV without the indifferent
00:31 driving dynamics that this entire segment is known for.
00:35 It's offered as the 402 horsepower Macan 4 Electric or the 630 horsepower Macan Turbo
00:41 Electric, but the real story is less about power and more about how it rides, steers,
00:46 and handles.
00:47 If Porsche has done its job, and all signs point to "yes, it did," it will be the
00:53 most athletic and engaging crossover EV you can buy.
00:57 The Macan has always been kind of a rich man's hot hatch.
01:03 A Volkswagen GTI, if you could afford $60,000, $70,000, $80,000, and that's still part
01:12 of what this vehicle is, even with the transition from gas to electric power.
01:19 Really precise steering, good grip, great body control.
01:25 To make the bigger, heavier EV move like the gas version, Porsche has loaded this one with
01:30 technology.
01:31 Thanks to standard height-adjustable air springs, the center of gravity can be as much as 5.5
01:37 inches lower in the electric compared to the gas model.
01:40 That helps compensate for the fact that the EV weighs about 1,100 pounds more than the
01:45 gas Macan.
01:46 There's also optional rear-wheel steering, which offsets the EV's longer wheelbase
01:51 by tightening the turning circle and improving agility.
01:54 And the turbo model makes the handling even sweeter by applying all of its extra 228 horsepower
02:00 at the rear axle through an electronically-controlled limited-slip differential.
02:05 That means it rotates more playfully under power.
02:11 The Macan Electric is a little bit larger than the gas Macan.
02:15 It's about 4 inches longer, the wheelbase is about 3 inches longer.
02:20 It doesn't feel bigger, both driving it on these tight French roads or even on the inside,
02:27 and that's a bit of a criticism.
02:29 The Macan has always been a small vehicle, almost too small maybe for the American market.
02:36 The back seat is quite tight.
02:39 That's still true.
02:41 That sense that you get with a lot of EVs that the packaging advantages give you a much
02:48 more useful interior volume doesn't really translate.
02:53 In making the Macan Electric so similar to the gas version, Porsche has missed out on
02:58 some of the advantages we've come to expect from EVs.
03:01 Aside from the addition of a 2.9-cubic-foot frunk, the longer wheelbase and body haven't
03:07 noticeably improved the packaging.
03:09 This small SUV still feels sports-car tight in the front and back seats.
03:15 There's some new storage space under the climate controls, but the center console still hugs
03:19 the driver and front passenger's legs.
03:22 If you can live with the smallness, it's an otherwise wonderful interior with supportive
03:27 and comfortable seats and quality that you can see and feel.
03:31 While the infotainment system largely looks and operates the same as in other P-Cars,
03:36 this is Porsche's first use of the Android Automotive operating system.
03:40 It's quick, mostly intuitive, and there's a built-in app store for installing programs
03:45 from third-party developers.
03:47 An optional third screen allows the front passenger to play games or stream videos.
04:01 This is the Macan 4 Electric.
04:03 It's joining the Macan lineup later this year, on sale in fall of 2024 in the U.S.
04:10 402 horsepower, all-wheel drive, 0-to-60 in about less than 5 seconds, and as is usual
04:19 for Porsche, such a capable, well-rounded vehicle.
04:26 One thing that's carried over from the Taycan is that Porsche still does not believe in
04:30 one-pedal driving for EVs.
04:34 I actually agree with them on this point.
04:37 I prefer to drive my cars, gas or electric, using two pedals.
04:42 I think you get more modulation of the brake force, more control over it when you're using
04:47 the brake pedal to slow the vehicle.
04:50 That said, I'm not sure that EV buyers necessarily agree with that, and considering that you
04:57 can do this with software, it seems silly to me to not offer drivers the option to at
05:04 least activate one-pedal driving.
05:08 Both the Macan 4 and Macan Turbo Electrics have 95-kilowatt-hour batteries.
05:14 We don't know the official range yet, but expect it to be in the mid-to-high 200s.
05:21 Fast charging is one of the strengths that Porsche has.
05:24 These are 800-volt vehicles that can charge at a peak of 270 kilowatts, and you can add
05:30 from 10 to 80 percent charge in about 20 minutes.
05:36 When it arrives in the U.S. in the fall of 2024, the Macan Electric will be sold alongside
05:41 the gas Macan, letting buyers decide for themselves whether they like the sound and feel of a
05:46 gas engine and 7-speed transmission, or the smooth, seamless power delivery of an EV.
05:53 Those who choose the Electric will pay a hefty premium to have the latest technology.
05:57 The Macan 4 Electric starts at just about $80,000, about $15,000 more than the base
06:04 price of a gas Macan.