5 Reasons the Porsche Macan EV Will Blow Other Electric SUVs Away

Matt Bubbers February 6, 2024

If recent cars from Porsche are any indication, the first-ever Porsche Macan EV is about to blow all other electric SUVs out of the water when it hits Canadian dealers in the second half of 2024. The German brand has been going from strength to strength lately with cars like the Taycan, Cayenne Turbo GT, 911 GT3, S/T, Dakar and 718 GT4 RS. They’re all annoyingly, predictably, unsurprisingly, Teutonically spectacular.

Naturally, we (and everyone else) have sky-high expectations for Porsche’s much-hyped (albeit slightly-delayed) Macan EV. It’s the sophomore EV from Porsche, coming in at a lower price point than the Taycan sedan while aiming for more mass-market, daily-driver appeal.

Here’s what you need to know about the price, range and availability of the 2025 Porsche Macan EV in Canada:

How much do the 2025 Macan 4 EV and 2025 Macan Turbo EV cost in Canada?

Two models of the Macan EV will be available at launch. The all-wheel-drive Macan 4 starts at $99,300, while the Macan Turbo starts at $125,300 in Canada.

What are the driving ranges of the 2025 Macan 4 EV and 2025 Macan Turbo EV?

Driving range ratings for the U.S. and Canada aren’t available yet, but expect to see those EPA and NRCan-rated range figures later this year.

When does the Macan EV arrive in Canada?

According to Porsche Canada, “The new Macan [EV] can be ordered now, with the first deliveries expected to begin during the second half of the year.”

Now, without further ado, here are five reasons we suspect the 2025 Porsche Macan EV is going to blow other electric SUVs away and set a new benchmark:

High Performance, but Make It Usable

It wouldn’t be a Porsche without a high baseline level of performance, but performance is nothing without control. This is doubly true in the EV world, where straight-line speed is easy but cornering ability and excellent ride-quality are very rare indeed. On paper at least, Porsche appears to have taken a more holistic approach to performance, something sorely lacking in the EV space. Both Macan EV models have adjustable air-suspension with a new two-valve damper design, which is said to provide a wider spread between comfort and performance settings. In addition, rear-wheel steering is available on the Macan for the first time, which will improve the SUV’s agility and high-speed stability.

According to the company, the Macan 4 is good for 402 horsepower (with overboost) and 479 lb-ft of torque, while the Macan Turbo generates 630 ponies and 833 lb-ft. (Yes, you read that correctly, 833 lb-ft of torque!) The latter gets from 0-100 km/h in 3.3 seconds, comfortably out-gunning the Model Y Performance.

A More Practical Daily-Driver

Unlike the Porsche 911 or even the Taycan, the compact Macan SUV is a daily driver for most owners, and sometimes even their only car. Practicality is so crucial here. Compared to the old Macan, there’s more interior and cargo space thanks to an 86 mm longer wheelbase. Despite underfloor batteries, the seats are lower than before with increased legroom for rear-passengers (which is a very welcome addition). As for cargo space, yes, the Macan EV does have a frunk. The front trunk offers 127 litres of space, and there’s 540 litres behind the second-row seats. It’s still a compact SUV, but it’s now more practical than ever.

The PPE Platform

No, it’s got nothing to do with personal protective equipment; PPE stands for “Premium Platform Electric” and it’s the dedicated new EV-specific architecture that’ll underpin a generation of high-end electric machines from Porsche, as well as Audi and Bentley. It’s completely different to the downmarket EV architecture than underpins mainstream models from Volkswagen, and sits alongside (for now) the high-performance J1 architecture of the Taycan. We could write 1,000 words on this platform alone, but the bottom-line for drivers is that it offers all the latest and greatest EV technology in a brilliantly-packaged modular architecture that’ll allow for near infinite variations and models. Despite its compact size, the Macan EV houses an 100 kWh battery. With its 800 volt architecture and 270 kW DC charging ability, the battery can go from 10 to 80 percent in just over 20 minutes.

High Tech

We’d just like to take a moment here and applaud Porsche’s designers for not putting every flipping function on a touchscreen. There are, mercifully, analog controls for things including the air-vents and climate system. But, if you want screens, Porsche has you covered there with three of them, including the 12.6-inch curved instrument cluster, a 10.9-inch central display, and an optional 10.9-inch screen for the front passenger. It all runs Android Automotive OS software. As if that’s not enough tech, there’s also a new augmented-reality (AR) heads-up display that projects real-time information onto the windscreen ahead of the driver.

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

More important than any number of piece of tech on the Macan EV is the fact Porsche is on a hot streak these days. Its first-ever EV, the Taycan, was a smash hit right out of the gate delivering a level of ride and handling prowess the EV world hadn’t seen until then. It forced the market-leader Tesla to take another crack at its flagship just to compete. Crucially, the Taycan still drove like a Porsche in the way that hardcore drivers care about. The steering felt great. The balance felt perfect. Cornering ability was scarcely believable. It was clearly a car made by people who love to drive, the same people who brought us so many of the best sports cars — the 911 GT3, 718 GT4 RS, and 911 Dakar — of the last decade. And so, for all of these reasons, we expect the 2025 Porsche Macan EV is going to blow other electric SUVs away.