First things first: At this point, we do not know how much Porsche you will get for the entry-level price of 80,700 euros. The test car was equipped with numerous options from the still long list of extras (and extra charges), which pushed the price up into the six-figure range. Those reluctant to tick the boxes for the expensive options can order a Macan for less than 95,000 euros – and would still benefit from the full electric discount for company car taxation. But what is available for those 80,700 euros plus extras? Porsche’s base model also has a 100 kWh battery in the underbody, of which 94.9 kWh can be utilised. As the Macan does not get a suffix, we can rule out the smaller 83 kWh gross/75 kWh net battery that Audi offers in its Q6 e-tron PPE model. The Macan thus offers the same energy content as its all-wheel-drive brothers, even in the most affordable version, and the same charging power of up to 270 kW. The drive system is based on the Macan 4, presented at the world premiere in January – albeit without the second electric motor on the front axle. The permanently excited synchronous electric motor (PSM) has an active length of 200 millimetres and a diameter of 210 millimetres. Together with the pulse inverter designed for 450 amps, the motor has an output of 250 kW (265 kW in overboost) and a torque of 563 Nm. Porsche wanted to develop the sportiest SUV in the segment In times when 400 kW or more is not uncommon for electric cars, it sounds like a relatively manageable performance. However, with a top speed of 220 kph and 5.7 seconds for the sprint to 100 kph, the entry-level Macan is well in line with the competition. Its Audi counterpart, the Q6 e-tron Performance, takes a whole second longer to reach 100 kph and is ten kilometres per hour slower at top speed. And if you look at the bestseller in the segment, the Tesla Model Y, the Macan sits between the rear-wheel drive model with a large battery (5.9s; 217 kph) and the all-wheel drive model (5.0s; 217 kph) – with the difference that the Tesla is almost 30,000 euros cheaper. With a WLTP range of up to 641 kilometres, the Porsche is on par with the Q6 e-tron but ahead of the Model Y (600 km for the rear-wheel drive model). However, the two PPE electric cars need a battery that is around 20 kWh larger to beat the Tesla. The Q6 e-tron with the smaller battery achieves a range of 533 kilometres. However, we don’t want to compare models on paper but want to look at their performance on the road. When developing the new Macan, Porsche aimed to develop the sportiest SUV in the segment. A goal that will become important later on. An improved e-route planner complements the charging technology. When we requested a test route to Berlin in Metzingen, south of Stuttgart, with the battery half full, a fully planned route with three charging stops was provided within a few seconds. Sounds like a lot at first, but at second glance, it makes sense: on the one hand, with a full battery, you would certainly only have needed two charging stops on the way to Berlin – but there are also spontaneous journeys before which you can’t charge to 100 per cent as planned. The Macan knows its charging curve very well: it does not charge rigidly to 80 per cent (which would take 21 minutes), but often only to 60 or 65 per cent. Because the charging power is still very high and continues to decrease as the charge level rises, three short charging stops after Berlin are simply faster than two longer ones. None of the charging stops planned by the system were longer than 13 minutes. However, if you charge for 20 minutes during the first charging stop (because you just needed a longer break), the subsequent planning is adjusted. In terms of charging planning, the Macan software worked extremely well during the first short test. There are also well-thought-out details: for example, the calculated route to Berlin only displayed the utilisation of the first charging park in real-time (6/8 charging points free). Of course, displaying this for the other two charging stops would also be possible, but it would be pointless – the occupancy will change until you reach the charging park 450 kilometres away. The rest of the software made a decent but not outstanding impression. After getting used to it, the operation was possible without any further problems, and the software ran reliably. However, the test period was very short, so this is only of limited significance. From the customer’s point of view, none of the functions really stood out. There is no question that the Macan offers what some customers in this price class demand – such as good smartphone integration and access to services and apps they also use outside the vehicle. Porsche’s own App Centre and opening it up to content from other providers was certainly a big step for the company internally. For customers, however, it is now a matter of course that they can also use their Spotify or Tidal account via the car’s stereo system. Sporty: yes – practical: well… Speaking of stereo system, it can also influence the available space in the car, albeit in theory. As with the Bose system, which is available at extra cost, the subwoofer is installed under the boot floor (as with the Burmester system, which can be ordered later), and the compartment there can thus not be used for luggage. However, it is really only a flat shelf and not a separate sub-trunk, like in the Model Y. Even though the 4.78 metre-long Macan is certainly comparable with the 4.75 metre-long electric bestseller from Grünheide, they are two worlds apart. Anyone expecting similar exterior length and similar interior space will be…
