- The fourth-generation Porsche Cayenne will be an EV
- The third-generation gas and hybrid Cayenne will live on past 2030
- Porsche said the transition to electric cars will take longer than anticipated
Porsche is working on a next-generation Cayenne powered exclusively by batteries, but the current gas and hybrid Cayenne models aren't going anywhere.
On Thursday Porsche said it plans to keep the current third-generation Cayenne on sale beyond 2030, with further updates planned to keep it looking and feeling fresh, especially alongside the new electric Cayenne that is expected to start sales in 2026, likely as a 2027 model in the U.S.
Porsche says updates to it will ensure the Cayenne's available twin-turbocharged V-8 engine will be ready to meet future regulations. The V-8 is currently available as both a standalone unit or paired with a plug-in hybrid system.
The current Cayenne arrived for the 2019 model year and was given its first major update for 2024.
2027 Porsche Cayenne EV spy shots - Photo credit: Baldauf
Porsche's announcement comes just days after the automaker said it was shifting its EV strategy due to slower than expected growth in demand. Porsche said it is abandoning its earlier target of having EVs constitute 80% of sales by 2030, though the automaker said it remains prepared to achieve the target if demand justifies it.
Prototypes for the electric Cayenne have been spotted testing for several months. The design is similar to the electric Macan that was added for 2024, only on a larger scale. Porsche is also selling the current gas Macan alongside the electric version, though gas Macan production will end in 2026, the automaker announced earlier in July.
Porsche on Thursday said the electric Cayenne will use a further development of the 800-volt PPE (Premium Platform Electric) dedicated EV platform that debuted in the electric Macan. Though it's yet to be confirmed, a four-motor powertrain may be offered in the electric Cayenne. Porsche in 2019 said it was developing just such a system.
A larger three-row electric SUV code-named K1 is also in the works and expected to arrive a year after the electric Cayenne. This model will ride on a separate EV platform developed by Porsche and known as the SSP Sport.
