Porsche sets ambitious targets for Macan EV

PORSCHE says it expects to produce as many units of its battery-electric Macan mid-size SUV as the current internal combustion engine variant.

Based on 2022 production levels, that means the Stuttgart-based firm should output as many as 80,000 units per annum from its Leipzig plant.

Speaking to German publication Automobilwoche this week, Porsche executive board member for production and logistics, Albrecht Reimold, said: “We produce more than 80,000 units per year of the current generation (Macan). In the long term, we also plan to produce the all-electric Macan on this scale”.

Mr Reimold said the battery-electric Macan and its thermal engine counterparts will be produced in parallel for approximately two years, before the model becomes exclusively electric. The Macan will become Porsche’s second all-electric model after the Taycan coupe.

The full-electric Macan is scheduled to enter production before the end of next year, but sources caution the model may encounter delays.

According to a report published by Automotive News Europe, the Macan EV and its twin-under-the-skin Audi Q6 e-tron risk being delayed because parent Volkswagen Group is behind in its development of model-specific software.

Indeed, Porsche has faced several production setbacks in recent times, the premium manufacturer last week saying it would delay the delivery of models including the Macan and Panamera as it awaited outsourced parts, including LED headlights.

Porsche has resorted to building these vehicles without the affected components which are retrofitted as supply becomes available.

“Currently, we have to retrofit vehicles again,” said Mr Reimond last week.

“At the moment it is really (a) very tense (time) because we have to be constantly vigilant. It is difficult to forecast when the situation will fundamentally improve.”

The Macan EV is the first model from Porsche to ride on the new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture developed in unison with Audi. The model was initially set to launch next year.

It is understood the model will operate on 800-volt electric architecture familiar to the Taycan and promises to be the “sportiest model in its segment”, Porsche says.

No mechanical details or specifications have yet been released for the battery-electric Macan, however it is expected the model will at least match the specifications of the similarly-sized Audi e-tron which boasts an output figure of 300kW/664Nm courtesy of its dual motors and 95kWh battery.

Locally, the Macan remains one of the most popular vehicles in its segment (SUV Medium over $60K). Year-to-date figures rank Porsche’s mid-size SUV in sixth place with 1699 unit sales behind the Mercedes-Benz GLC (3065), BMW X3 (2905), Volvo XC60 (2262), Lexus NX (2019) and Audi Q5 (2001).

The segment top 10 is rounded out by the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe (1140), Mercedes-Benz GLB (1060), BMW X4 (620) and Land Rover Range Rover Evoque (448).