2024 Porsche Macan EV - The Electric Macan gets a Turbo Version !

The all-new Porsche Macan is electric, and here, an Autogefühl with Thomas in 4K, full screen, full length. Let's go with the Macan EV, all the deets you need to know, and today, we are also going to drive it. Yeah, the electric thunder from Stuttgart, Germany. In the front, we can see this four-dot design for the headlamps, and this is a papaya color here, so very colorful indeed, and one of the special features, which are really helpful actually, is already here in the front because to open the frunk, you just need to slide here underneath the Porsche logo, and then, it opens super easy. You don't have to unlock anything. 80 liters is the frunk. You have a separate split here for, you know, whatever or maybe like you get this emergency equipment or so on, and the alternative would be, it's also quite nice, also looks beautiful when it's starting to rain like with the drops on the car, even if it's not so pleasant for us, right? So, here on the car key, you also have a separate button. We know it from Porsche, and it directly opens as well, and once again, no need to separately unlock it. This, of course, is very practical to store your charging cables then here. The length is 4.78m or 188 inches, so more or less the same size as before, a little bit longer. Wheels from 20 to 22-inch, these are the special largest 22-inch wheels, very impressive, and we'll check out later how it is in the driving comfort. This is the Macan Turbo as well, so best performance action, 3.3 seconds is the acceleration figure. The Macan 4, normal all-wheel drive model, would be 5.2 seconds. A rear-wheel drive version only is to come later, also shares the platform here with the Audi Q6 e-tron, recently also shown that to you. By the way, here we have these black wheel arches in the high-gloss black. Standard would be that you have the more matte plastic crossover wheel arches. Well, now we had to find some shelter because that storm has been picking up massively. Oh my god, there's even hail coming. So, yeah, short break, then we'll continue for you. So, this area right here is where the Macan EV looks so different from the combustion engine model, which is, by the way, in Northern America, still available, maybe one or two years or something, not for too long. In Europe, you can even not order the combustion engine anymore, so it's all about then the EV version here. Why is that, by the way? Because the combustion engine version does not comply with data security laws anymore, and it would have been too costly for Porsche, they say, to upgrade that. Audi has upgraded that with the Audi Q5, the sister model. Well, Porsche obviously did not, but so far, the first pre-orders for the Macan EV look very promising, they say, actually. So, we have to see if they can actually compensate for the lack of the combustion engine sales for them then. Porsche usually never touches the logo in its design form and the colors. However, here, the turbo models now get this darkened out Porsche badge, so they allow that kind of now, and the top speed here for the Macan turbo is 260 kilometers an hour or 160 miles an hour. That's even more than enough for the German autobahn. However, you have to think about that the electric vehicles, when you drive them at high speed, then, of course, the range will drop down significantly. The Macan 4, the normal all-wheel drive model, is, by the way, a little bit lower in the top speed, that one at 220 kilometers an hour or 140 miles an hour. And on the technology side, you also get an optional rear axle steering up to 5 degrees. It goes in the opposite direction than the front wheels, massively reducing the turning circle, and suspension technology-wise, the turbo always comes with air suspension, adaptive air suspension, also gets different sport mode, softer than in the comfort mode, and on the Northern American market, this air suspension is always standard. In Europe, for example, the Macan 4 comes with the standard suspension, optional standard suspension with PASM, so it's an adaptive but not the air suspension yet, and the third step, then, is the air suspension. So, it's always a market decision what they include in the standard equipment and what not, actually. Then, about battery and charging, 95 kilowatt hours net is this battery, and this will give us, to the first estimation, up to a 500 kilometers, 300 miles of range. Of course, later on, we'll test drive this one here, the turbo also with its maximum peak of 640 horsepower, and then see about the realistic consumption figure. Recharging, it's a very cool thing, actually, here. Charging flap, this is here on the driver's side, and you just hold your hand there, and then it opens as a sensor. 11 kilowatt AC charging, later also 22 kilowatt available. DC charging has a 270 kilowatt peak, and if you close the vehicle, by the way, also then here the charging flap closes again. 21 minutes, 10% to 80% state of charge, that's massive here, 800-volt architecture. So, it's one of the quickest charging EVs out there. Standard, also a second charging flap here on the passenger side, that's actually cool, and then also with the sensor here, and passenger side is an AC charging only, and only one charging flap can be opened at times, so you cannot open them both at the same time, and, yeah, sometimes there were these questions, can I have even more charging power when I plug a cable in from both sides? That's unfortunately not possible. This electric charging flap here, by the way, is an option, otherwise it would be one that is having this standard opening like a normal fuel cap, and pretty cool always to see. You can extend this spoiler from the interior, that is possible, and also retract it again if you want to show off to your friends. Usually, that's done automatically when the car is driving at the faster speed that you have a little bit more downforce there in the rear, and should you wonder, is there actually really no possibility for a rear wiper? Well, there is one optionally available, not just spec'd with this vehicle. Let's check out the turning indicators, look at these here, they will, actually, they don't replace the daytime running light, they're underneath. That's even more interesting, right, and then have for a split second an eight-element design. So, hmm, pretty cool, right? In the rear, really slim, very long, I like that. So, I really have to say, design-wise, all the little detail, all the little elements, I just love it. The only thing I have somewhat of a problem with is that this very short overhang, there I found the combustion engine, a little bit more beautiful like the combustion engine Macan. What do you think? The trunk here, 540 liter or 480 liters for the Macan Turbo. Now, why would a Macan Turbo has less trunk space? We'll find out right now. First of all, there are cool features for opening and closing. Here, first of all, you're like, where am I supposed to press here? You know that the Macan so far had here in the rear wiper had this button here. Yeah, that's gone, actually, but then the button is here. That's like the small camera, and then you have the button right here to press. So, this is then possibility number one, and then to close it again right here. By the way, when it's raining, it's kind of like rinsing down here when there was a lot of rain, then it's actually falling into the trunk here, the raindrops. So, that happened actually right now. Oh, and here, by the way, the vehicle is also gathering water. So, on the side of the trunk here, left and right each, that's a lot, right? So, then, oh, I also can check out the child safety. That's good. That's very sensitive indeed. So, and the second thing is because they thought about how can we make opening and closing the boot even easier, and then they did some prototype testing, and sometimes maybe you have a DC cable you want to put on that side, but it's here. Then, when you're having like cable action underneath the vehicle, sometimes these swiping gestures, they make the trunk close on your head. When you stand here, they have your feet underneath there. So, they said we don't do any swiping gestures underneath. However, here the risk, of course, a little bit lower because you have two charging ports. But then, anyway, they went here for a kicking sensor that you kick here, like where the sensor is also the exterior sensor. Then, you kick here underneath. Now, you don't have to hit the car, of course. Then, it opens, and it has the second feature. So, let's say you want to take out very heavy things or maybe have like in both hands something, and then you want to go back again. Then, you can kick it again. It's also supposed to have like a short sound. I mean, does it now? Let's see. Maybe again. So, let's see. So, you kick it here. Ah, they heard the sound, and when you heard the sound, then you move away from the vehicle, and then the trunk is closing automatically. So, you don't have to put the things away first, you know, maybe in the mud or something, and that's a very cool feature, actually. So, yeah, they really thought about that. And, yeah, maybe it's not about the charging cable, but to me, it really happened a lot of times already that I was putting something in the trunk like here, and my feet were underneath here, and then the swiping gesture was activated because my feet were underneath the trunk here, and I was doing like this, and then it closed on my head like so. That's happening. Does not happen here for the Macan because the sensor here also detects if you are standing there, and if you're standing here, the trunk will not close on you. Cool thing, right? The width here is easily a meter or 40 inches, and then the length here is about 90 centimeters or 35 inches. So, we were talking about the Macan Turbo and why it has less liter of luggage space, and the secret revealing is here underneath because you have some space underneath, usually, unless you go for this Burmester sound system with the subwoofer, which is standard for the Turbo. So, if you go for the Macan 4 but get the same sound system with the subwoofer, then again, you also only get the 480 liters because they count the liter figures from underneath. Folding seats, you can do it from here, from the trunk. That's a cool thing, actually. There we go. Did they really fold flat? So, I did it now. You have to move the seat a little bit forward and then move them backward again. Otherwise, the rear bench would hit the forward seats, but overall, I think trunk-wise and so on with these solutions, yeah, it's actually quite flexible. I like that. Oh, and by the way, about towing, first of all here, this side panel is a little bit loose. So, when I press this button here, the whole thing goes in. That's not that good. However, what is good that here when I press this one, there's a towing hook available even. It's like half automatic, I would say, and it can indeed tow up to two tons, which is already kind of significant for an electric vehicle. This is the key fob, beautiful, and also here is a different material than in the front. You can also get individualized ones in your vehicle color, by the way, and then the door closing sound is frameless, by the way, dual insulation, both in the front and in the rear. Yeah, I would say it's okay considering it's frameless. It's still quite decent. Then, inside of the doors, nice ambient light integration. Here, in this case, then carbon fiber inlets. However, here, hard plastic without any felt covering just a little bit rubber ground there, but come on, for this price, this needs to be covered in felt, I feel. Macan turbo entry badge in the lower part, and in this case, an all-black interior, I would say take a seat, young Skywalker. Head restraint adjustment, by the way, here, back and forth. So, yeah, why not? It's an easy solution and also feels kind of stable. Cockpit clean, a lot of straight lines, also nice ambient lighting integration here, two 11-inch screens, passenger screen on the right side is an option, and while driving can only be seen from the passenger, so we're not used to that. Curved instruments here. Yeah, the steering wheel does block always a part of it, and the steering wheel itself, sporty as we know from Porsche, also here with the darkened out Porsche logo here in the turbo, but I still have, for example, like a volume jog at the steering wheel, also here this drive mode selector, easy to control for normal sports and sport plus and so on, and then you have this flying middle console right here with more space underneath. Cup holders, adaptive, also with illumination, and my favorite, real climate unit, clicking sounds and so on, that's awesome. In the front, you slide open an inductive charging pad, which is also cooled, and if you want to charge with the cable, you could also put the cable like from the lower part to the upper part. There's a special hole for that one, but yeah, when the inductive charger pad is cooled, it's actually also cool to use. You got that one? Okay, it was a little bit flat, maybe. Then here, the middle armrest, pull it up, even more space underneath, and the seating comfort in general is actually quite decent. The only catch is that here for the turbo, there's no alternative to animal skin, whereas for the normal Macan, the Macan 4, there you also have a completely animal-free interior, also with the animal-free steering wheel, and I would recommend that one, more animal-friendly, and also more comfortable because it adapts more to the body, the whole surface from that. Here, without the panoramic roof, with an A9, 6 for 2, still leaves a lot of headroom left, and, well, there is a panoramic roof available if you want one. And here's the gear selector, and look at that optional passenger screen. In park mode, I can also see it. When I put it in drive mode, it's gone, but just for me, Leah could still see it from her perspective, just not me. Here, when I'm in parking mode again, it appears, disappears in driving, not to distract anyone. There, you can see this effect coming over to the passenger side, then there it is. The infotainment has this main menu and, especially exciting, always the driving selections here, so you can activate the electric sports mode or deactivate it if you want this additional sound actuator, and here, yeah, that's what I did initially from the outside, always fun to deploy the spoiler. Of course, it does it automatically at higher speeds. The head-up display appears quite large, also very crisp, but just in a very specific view angle, like here, like this, it's super crisp, but when I just move a little bit more, like downward or sidewards, it feels like it's kind of blurry on one of the eyes, so you really need to hit the exact angle that it's sharp, so, yeah, I've seen head-up displays which are more forgiving in, like, in the angle you're watching it. What I also like is here this manual volume jog in the central console, and seat heating is also the separate feedback to have it. You see here, you move that whole thing here, but it's interesting that it's, let's see here, it moves as a complete button, and then this individual field is activated. Yeah, a high-gloss back also collects a lot of scratches and fingerprints and so on, but, yeah, as long as we have the metal knurling here, I'm still happy. Rear doors, also frameless, nice here from the build quality from the handles, however, then on the inside here, all hard pack, at that price point, doubtful in that very detail. Then, well, as I'm driving, it's not too much legroom left here, I have to say, the seats are quite voluminous, it works here for a tall adult to drive behind a tall adult, but considering it's an electric vehicle and they should make use more of that space and the wheelbase is longer than in the standard Macan, I think there should be more legroom. Headroom is, however, no problem with and, well, the comfort from the base ergonomics here is also okay, but, again, there's not much space here, so, for the whole family and so on, maybe not ideal. Fold down this one here, then there are adaptive cup holders, that is very good from the build quality here, very solid and everything. This also, have you heard that, when you, like, you're on the boat and close something in the lower part to USB-C channels, and here, that is amazing, once again, clicking sounds, metal knurling, climate unit, also for the rear passengers. Launch control. That was 100, like 99. Whoa. Was that even three seconds and that was even, yeah, you know that Porsche sometimes underestimates the acceleration figures, I think that's what happened here. I mean, that was even, yeah, it more felt like two seconds, like in a Taycan Turbo GT or in a Model S Plaid. I mean, and this was even slightly uphill. Yeah, that's some crazy stuff, definitely, and you maybe also heard it, I turned this generated sound on, you know, feel that, hear that also. It's subtle, it's not too pronounced. You do have some kind of feedback, yeah, the Liameter also went off the scale for sure. Yeah, it's very extreme, especially for the passenger when you don't have, like, this combustion engine growling when you accelerate. So, in the electric vehicles, it feels more extreme in a way. The combustion engine, like, the sound is more extreme in a way, but then you also prepare your body for that a little bit better. But, I mean, yeah, with the sound, you can turn it off at any stage if you like. It's also interesting that by standard, it's deactivated, and then even when you switch the driving modes, it gets deactivated, and then you turn it on or off again. So, at the moment here, it's off. In the Sport Plus mode, I also have, oh my god, this is absolutely crazy how it accelerates out of the corner, and it hooks to the road that well. Yeah, obviously, as you've seen, we waited another day to get more, like, better weather for this driving part here. It's absolutely crazy. So, the big first question is, of course, how is it in comparison to the combustion engine model? And, you know, I've driven all the versions, Macan T, Macan S, Macan GTS, Macan Turbo, when it was still available, and you really have to say, just from the pure driving performance aspect here, especially the Macan Turbo, just tops everything in the Macan range. That's for sure. Yes, you might argue that the combustion engine sound, then, at the six-cylinder, is more emotional. Yes, that's also true, but from pure driving performance, how it hooks up to the road, how the power is distributed, how the performance is there, how quickly it goes out of the corners, I mean, is here, like, when you have a tight corner, you can basically pin down the pedal and accelerate out while you are still in the corner, and that's, like, no. I mean, usually, you decelerate into the corner, keep a steady speed, and then, when it's going straight, you know, about to get straight, you accelerate out. That's usually also evolving on the racer, but, yeah, you really feel that while you are still in the corner, you can just pin it down, and it's there. It's absolutely, yeah, you see how crazy it is. So, suspension is absolutely tuned on a sporty note. Do you notice that this is an air suspension? Not at all. Not a single bit I would, I mean, when I would take a seat in this vehicle, drive it, I don't know anything about the suspension specifics. Now, the two Macans coming, they're doing car-to-car filming. So, would anyone ask me what suspension is it? I would not say it's an air suspension because it's tuned so stiff. I really have to say, though, is that the sense of an air suspension? I think rather not. The air suspension should give you more comfort. You have to know, if you seek also like a comfortable family SUV, not a good choice. If you seek the most dynamic, sportiest one in this segment here, just, you know, can't stand still here because I want to give some space to the car in front of us so that we can drive a little bit quicker again because it happens so quick that we catch up to the vehicles in front of us. It's absolutely crazy. This car passed. So, the thing is really, oh, this beautiful landscape here. So, my friends, this is sportiness period, you know. The handling is incredible. So, I really have to say like best EV SUV in the handling and also in performance. Wow, and at the same time, you are in control so much. Oh, that was interesting. I thought someone is behind me because the rear wing was going up, and then the sun was reflecting in the rear wing, and I was thinking someone is giving me the, you know, the lights from the rear. Take that into account. Yeah. So, you're in perfect control. It feels like a way shorter vehicle. I mean, we're here at 4.78m or 188 inches, and it feels like I would be driving a compact hatch, and that does not happen with the combustion engine Macan. At the same time, what's really interesting now is if you compare the combustion engine Macan to this one due to the steering, the whole setup here, and you still get the Macan feeling. So, if you drive slowly, you would say, yeah, you know, I'm driving a Macan. So, you don't have to switch in a way when you are existing Macan ICE customer. It more or less feels the same, especially when you're driving a little bit calmer, but as soon as you accelerate out and drive it in a more extreme way, it feels like a completely different vehicle and in a better performance sense, definitely. By the way, if we go away from that Sport Plus mode, go into the normal mode, of course, the suspension is a little bit softer then. Also, the steering is a little bit softer. It does require some work always. It's really precise. I do personally like it. Leah already told me earlier she prefers it when the steering is a little bit softer, doesn't need so much force. I don't know if that's maybe a male thing or something because I usually prefer it when, you know, it gives a little bit more feedback. Leah rather prefers it when it's easier to steer. So, I found it really perfect. Also, you know, like how much degree angle I need. Here, for example, look at that. Now, it's like almost 90 degrees and the same way I turn the steering. That's what I really love. That's awesome. Wow. So, that's really the thing. The performance is absolutely amazing, but then again, when you are not thinking of agile driving, when you're thinking of, hey, I want to drive it in everyday life, where I live, there are also some destroyed roads and so on. Yeah, this guy is the only thing. I better leave this in my car and pass. I have a parking spot here. Watch that. So, when you think about everyday driving, like here also over these humps, it's really, it's not sporty, it's stiff, it's rough. The suspension is rough, you know, and, you know, there are always a lot of other, you know, car journalists out there, they, when they drive a Porsche, they will only tell you it's the best thing ever, best, best, this is best, this is best, and they are all blown away by everything, but I already try to differentiate that you know what you're getting into, and, like I said, the performance is absolutely astonishing, but I would not buy it when I also want to have something comfortable. Even here, the air suspension, it does not give you both. Some vehicles give you both sportiness and comfort. This one does not. It does not give you comfort. It gives you sportiness, definitely, and, I mean, this is the normal mode, and, wow, I mean, yeah, we recently, oh, doggo, okay, careful. That's Thomas' dog mode. When I see a dog on the street, it's like full brake, maximum distance, silence. That's, of course, a little bit better here when they're driving the electric vehicles that we don't, you know, annoy their ears because they can hear that well. So, he'll go back to the Sport Plus again. So, even if the stability systems are drawn back here a little bit, it still gives you so much agility, you know. So, I rarely had that that I'm driving such a heavy vehicle, and I felt so much in control all the time. Oh, a beautiful tree there as well. Wow. So, now going downhill, talking about recuperation, there is not a strong recuperation when you lift your foot off the throttle. It's not their philosophy. So, there's no one-pedal driving at all. You do the recuperation with the brake pedal, period. That's, you know, how everything is set up here, which is, again, I think my point that they try to make the transition from the Macan combustion engine customer as easy as possible because that, again, accounts for that feeling. You can switch from normal Macan to this one and say, yeah, it's still my Macan, but then you're definitely blown away by that performance, and I can already tell you right now, yes, the turbo is here at the pinnacle, but this 5.2 seconds of the Macan 4 will definitely be enough, and, yeah, you know, I'm already in talks with the Porsche guys about that, that they also offer the animal-free interior for the Macan turbo, and I guess they will change it at some point as well because, at this moment, this would, of course, be a major reason also to go for the Macan 4, that you can also get this more comfortable animal-free interior, yeah, and, of course, care about the animal aspect as well. Also, going downhill because the weight now is pushing me in the corner, but still, sometimes I have these electric vehicles where I think, yeah, it's enough of weight, you know, come on, yeah, here now maybe you feel, you know, when the when it's getting tighter and then all the weight is pushing, but still, yeah, they're doing everything they can to counter that feeling. What else can you do for more comfort? These are here the 22-inch wheels, and you can stick with the 20-inch wheels, then you also gain more comfort. So, at this moment, probably my best configuration would be a Macan 4, animal-free interior, 20-inch wheels, and then you still have comfort because what I'm doing here right now is amazing to experience, but most customers of the Macan EV will 90% of the time not do this, but straight motorway in the city and so on, and then the comfort aspect is even more important, and you still have enough of sportiness left then, yeah. At the end of the driving part, by the way, because here topography changes are no problem for EVs as for the consumption, we'll also give you an extended update about our final concise test consumption for today. Pricing on the northern American market, so US, around $80,000 for the Macan 4, $105,000 for the Macan Turbo. German prices, European prices in Euro. The standard Macan 4 at the moment, €85,000, €115,000 here for the Macan Turbo, however, without extra equipment. The vehicle as it stands here right now, €140,000. That's, of course, super expensive. Yes, the performance in charging and so on, all the EV effects are actually very decent. However, you also have to think about what other vehicles you could get for a much, much lower price, but that's not specific to the Macan EV, but in general, of course, to Porsche. Yeah, and so quickly the weather can change from one day to another, actually. After driving, what could we score on our test loop, which included launch control, acceleration, a lot of topography changes, of course, not an overall high-speed average. So, longer way, motorway, German Autobahn, high-speed, we'll do it at a later stage again with this vehicle, but on our test loop, which would be a test loop that we would have done with a combustion engine, Macan, for example. Here, we could score some 19 kWh on 100 kilometers, which is quite decent. That's 3.3 miles per kilowatt-hour, and that means exactly the estimation figure from earlier 500 kilometers or 300 miles of real-world range. Yeah, I think you can live with that considering also that battery size. Question is just, do you like the new Macan EV, or would you rather tend to go with the sibling, the Audi Q8 e-tron, or for that price, buy three Tesla Model Y.