The process of electrification of automobiles seems like is being carried out at a lightning pace. Even built to go fast machines are no longer an exception and the latest to join the revolution is the Porsche Macan. The Supervisory Board of Porsche AG has decided to manufacture the next generation of the Macan as a fully electric series. This will be the first all-electric SUV from Porsche and is due to roll off the assembly line at the beginning of the next decade.
The first in the series of all-electric Porsches will be the Taycan – their first purely electrically driven sports car to be launched at the end of 2019, followed shortly thereafter by its derivative, the Taycan Cross Turismo. Like the Taycan, the next generation of the Macan features 800-volt technology and is based on the Porsche PPE architecture (Premium Platform Electric), developed in collaboration with Audi AG – highlighting the future viability of the site and enhancing its flexibility and efficiency even further. The decision to manufacture the next generation of the Macan at the company’s site in Leipzig was taken in July last year.
Commenting on this development, Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Board of Management of Porsche AG said, “Electromobility and Porsche go together perfectly; not just because they share a high-efficiency approach, but especially because of their sporty character. By 2022 we will be investing more than six billion euros in electric mobility, and by 2025, 50 per cent of all new Porsche vehicles could have an electric drive system. Nevertheless, over the next ten years we will focus on a driving mix consisting of even further optimised petrol engines, plug-in hybrid models, and purely electrically operated sports cars. Our aim is to take a pioneering role in technology, and for this reason, we will continue to consistently align the company with the mobility of the future.”
Coming back to conventionally powered cars, Porsche revealed the Eighth generation 911 Cabriolet in January this year. The soft-top version includes all the innovative features of the Coupe, along with convertible-specific elements which allow for opening and closing the roof quicker than ever before. The new 911 Carrera S Cabriolet continues to be rear-wheel drive and is powered by a 2,981 cc six-cylinder boxer engine which cranks out 450 hp at 6,500 rpm and 530 Nm of torque between 2,300 and 5,000 rpm. All that power is delivered by a newly developed eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The 911 Carrera S Cabriolet accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds (with optional Sport Chrono Package: 3.7 seconds) and can reach speeds of up to 306 km/h.