The performance is otherworldly: Ive driven the Porsche Cayenne Turbo
Electric and its a serious amount of car for the money

Date:
Sun, 31 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Description:
After driving the Cayenne Coupe Electric for a few days, Porsche continues to make a very convincing case for ditching the combustion engine.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter There is much uncertainty surrounding the future of Porsches electrified program , as the company has already delayed the release of its EV-only Boxster and Cayman sports cars , while also scaling back its in-house battery development team and even axing its eBike project.

The bottom line is, this world famous manufacturer of almost unbeatable
sports cars is struggling to sell its line-up of high-performance EVs in the sort of numbers that are expected by those at the very top of the business.

It feels unjust, especially given that its ground-breaking Taycan remains one of the best electric sports cars money can buy, while the latest Macan Electric arguably sits at the top of the performance SUV leaderboard. Latest Videos From You may like I've driven the new Xpeng G6 and it's now more of a Tesla rival than ever I've driven the new Renault Twingo and it's compact EV perfection Ive driven the smallest Kia EV yet and theres a lot to love about the baby of the bunch (Image credit: Porsche) Thats because Porsche has managed to take what makes its combustion cars great (unrivaled handling, fantastic suspension, crazy performance, cutting-edge technology) and package it for the electric era. The third and most recent vehicle in its EV line-up just so happens to be its second global bestseller, just after the Macan , so now comes with a dizzying array of powertrain options, from pure petrol to hybrids and all-electric.

But after piloting the Cayenne Coupe Electric for a few days, Porsche continues to make a very convincing case for ditching the combustion engine.
A performance offensive (Image credit: Porsche) Offering monstrous
performance figures is one way to make customers sit up and listen, and the latest Cayenne Turbo Electric certainly does that. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

With some 1,156hp offered when Launch Control is activated, this monster of
an SUV is capable of rocketing from 0-62mph in just 2.5 seconds. Its the most powerful production Porsche ever and can reach a top speed of 162mph.

Of course, there are more sedate versions available, although even the standard Cayenne Electric delivers 442hp with overboost power and the S Electric offers 666hp. Opt for the V6 petrol-engined Cayenne Coupe and you
get a measly 353hp.

Its the most powerful production Porsche ever and can reach a top speed of 162mph. All Electric variants ride on Porsches excellent adaptive air suspension. The S and Turbo versions, meanwhile, can also be specified with the Porsche Active Ride active suspension system, which automatically adjusts the dampers to eliminate body roll, effectively transforming the vehicle from a sedate and comfortable highway cruiser into something altogether more focussed. What to read next I didnt think the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N could get
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The Cayenne Turbo Coupe Electric model I drove is designed to offer even more sportiness over the standard SUV version, in so much that it shares a broadly similar roofline to that seen on the iconic 911. The highest point of the car is also some 24mm lower than the standard model.

You can argue all day long about which version looks better (I actually
prefer the SUV) but it is difficult to deny that it cuts an imposing figure
on the road. (Image credit: Porsche) Add to this the fact that the swooping roofline is more aerodynamic, aided by very cool jet fighter-style flaps that emerge from the rear at high speed, and the result is an increased range (by up to 11 miles) of 415 miles in total. The Coupe starts to make a solid argument for itself.

The performance, particularly in the Turbo, is otherworldly. In fact, the launch control featured here is among some of the most abusive I have ever experienced.

Granted, many modern EVs deliver aggressive, impress-your-friends
acceleration but the Cayenne Turbo seemingly propels its occupants into another dimension when the accelerator is floored. Devastating dynamism
(Image credit: Porsche) A 113kWh (108kWh usable) battery pack and two permanent magnet synchronous motors arent exactly the last word in lightness and, as a result, the Cayenne Electric Turbo weighs in at around two and a half tonnes.

Thats a huge amount of weight to control when the driver decides to tackle a favored backroad like a race track, but Porsche has somehow managed the otherwise impossible. This immediately feels like a true Porsche product when behind the wheel.

The steering is perfectly weighted, even at slower speeds, but rotate a dial on the steering wheel and the Cayenne Turbo scrolls through one of its many sporting modes. Sports Plus allows access to the full 857hp, while a push-to-pass button unlocks the headline 1,156hp figures.

This immediately feels like a true Porsche product when behind the wheel. Naturally, its ridiculously capable of rapid overtake maneuvers, with the myriad systems keeping all four wheels in check to ensure they dont merely spin up at each dab of the throttle.

Body control is excellent through tighter corners and the addition of an optional rear-axle-steering system, which turns the rear up to five-degrees, effectively shrinks the massive Cayenne and makes it much easier to not only thread through tighter corners, but also pilot around busy city streets.

The weather was absolutely abysmal during my test drive, making the Bavarian mountain passes feel even more intimidating than usual, but the Cayenne Electric did a fantastic job of taking the sweaty-palmed work out of driving fast. (Image credit: Porsche) It doesnt feel quite as lithe and nimble as the smaller Macan model, but its still wildly impressive how such a large car can carve through curves and attack apexes like something half of its size.

Plus, it is worth noting that this is a car that offers up to 1,347 liters of stowage space (plus extra in the frunk) and the ability to tow up to 3.5 tonnes.

If customers want to take their madcap coupe/crossover off-road, Porsche will also sell a dedicated off-road package that toughens up the exterior for tackling rough terrain. Life at the cutting edge (Image credit: Porsche)
While Porsche might be best known for its dominating performance on track,
its also emerged as a recent leader in both infotainment and EV technology.

The Cayenne Electric (including the Coupe version) charges fast, compatible with up to 390kW DC outlets, enabling 10-80 per cent top-ups in as little as 16 minutes.

It also happens to be the first model to introduce wireless induction
charging as a proper optional extra, allowing customers to drive over a charging pad and enjoy speeds of up to 11kW something that hasnt been done
by any other manufacturer yet.

I tried this technology at a prototype workshop and was impressed, but it makes even more sense when placed in a more realistic setting.

It may have lost some drama of a snarling V8, but the Cayenne Electric more than makes up for it with face-altering acceleration Placed on a gravel driveway, with all of the cables buried beneath the surface, Porsches
wireless charging pad looks compact, neat and proves ridiculously easy to
use. Simply drive up, align some graphics on the infotainment system and charging begins. No more cable mess on your jeans during the depths of
winter.

Cayenne is also the first to bring Porsches central Flow Display to market, which sees a beautifully curved piece of glass take pride of place in the center of the dash, This is flanked by a further two screens (if the
passenger screen is optioned), resulting in a staggering 40-inches of touchable display.

It is a lot and feels like a massive departure for Porsche, but its operating system is undoubtedly one of the fastest currently on sale. The navigation
can process enormous, complicated road trips in seconds, including all of the best places to stop and charge, while its voice assistant is quick and
clever. (Image credit: Porsche) The slightly curved display is a lovely thing to behold, but it can make it slightly fiddly to reach menus that are located in that area. Although I largely found the remainder of the system very easy to navigate and intuitive to use.

Perhaps one of the biggest bugbears (and very un-Porsche things) is the inability to adjust the direction of the air vents with tactile manual
levers. This now has to be done via the infotainment system like a Tesla.

But at least Porsche offers surface heating, which essentially warms up
pretty much every piece of the interior you can touch, including the central arm rests and door cards, so you can sink into a cosy palace when the cold bites. (Image credit: Porsche) All of this, deposited inside a vehicle that
is capable of hypercar levels of performance is mind-bendingly satisfying. This is made even more impressive when you think it isnt emitting anything from the tailpipes.

Sure, it may have lost some drama of a snarling V8, but the Cayenne Electric more than makes up for it with face-altering acceleration and the ability to round corners as if its suspension system is engineered by witchcraft.

So whats the crux? Well, its always going to be price, as even the most basic versions of the Coupe Electric cost 86,200 in the UK (around $115,790 / AU$162,010). This is before you add Porsches ability to empty bank accounts with an entire catalogue of enticing optional extras.

Whats more, Porsche is battling with poor EV residual values like so many of its rivals, including BMW, Mercedes-Benz and more.

Thats a shame, because the Cayenne Electric (in whichever body style you choose) feels like a serious amount of car for the money. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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