CAYENNE ELECTRIC: PORSCHE’S NEXT-GEN EV SUV MAKES A STATEMENT AT SPEED - LOOKS COOL EVEN IN CAMOUFLAGE
The Cayenne nameplate has never been shy about redefining expectations. More than two decades ago, it flipped the script on what a Porsche could be - fusing sports car DNA with SUV practicality. Now, as Porsche preps its second all-electric model, the Cayenne Electric, that legacy is being recharged - quite literally - and the first glimpse is already breaking records. Still wearing prototype camo, the Cayenne Electric is deep into global testing, but Porsche isn’t hiding what this EV SUV is capable of. In fact, they’ve taken it on tour, starting with one of the most iconic motorsport venues in the UK: Shelsley Walsh, the world’s oldest active hill climb course. Narrow, technical, and brutally unforgiving, it's the sort of place where family SUVs go to get humbled. Unless, of course, they're wearing a Porsche badge. Behind the wheel was Gabriela Jílková, a development and sim driver for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team. Her first run? A blistering 31.28 seconds - slashing over four seconds off the previous SUV benchmark. Just 60 feet into the course, the Cayenne Electric had already registered 1.94 seconds on the clock - a figure normally reserved for single-seaters on slicks. Except this SUV was running regular summer tyres. At the core of this performance is Porsche Active Ride, a cutting-edge active chassis system that keeps the body flat, composed, and connected, no matter how wild the road (or driver) gets. It actively manages pitch, roll, and wheel load to maintain laser-like precision without sacrificing comfort - a tech blend Porsche says significantly widens the gap between outright agility and long-haul refinement.
“This course doesn’t forgive mistakes,” said Jílková. “But the Cayenne’s stability gave me complete confidence from start to finish.”
And despite being a prototype, Porsche confirmed that both the drive power and equipment used in the Shelsley run were already at production spec. That means the showroom version won’t be far off this hill-climb rocket.
While its dynamic credentials stole the spotlight, the Cayenne Electric is just as committed to doing the work. To prove it, Richard Hammond - yes, that Richard Hammond - took the prototype on a filming run through the English countryside, towing a two-tonne, century-old classic car behind it. The trip clocked in at around three tonnes in total, yet Hammond barely broke a sweat.
“We were trailing significant weight behind us, but you wouldn’t know it – the Cayenne handled it effortlessly,” he said.
Porsche says the production Cayenne Electric will boast a towing capacity of up to 3.5 tonnes, depending on configuration - one of the highest figures for a BEV SUV to date. It’s a nod to the SUV’s dual personality: equal parts performance machine and practical hauler. The Cayenne Electric’s public debut isn’t a one-off. Porsche is planning a return to British soil, showcasing the record-setting prototype at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, running from 10 to 13 July 2025 - where it’s expected to draw serious crowds. While the EV variant grabs headlines, Porsche has no plans to abandon internal combustion or hybrid variants just yet.
“Our customers will still have powerful and efficient combustion and hybrid models at their disposal well into the next decade,” says Michael Schätzle, VP of the Cayenne product line. “But only electrification unlocks this next level of performance.”
Fast, functional, and unflinchingly Porsche - the Cayenne Electric is shaping up to be more than just an evolution. It’s a statement. From sprinting up century-old hills to pulling weight like a workhorse, this is one prototype that’s proving it can do it all - and then some.
Take a look at the YouTube video where one of our all-time favourite motoring personalities, Richard Hammond from Top Gear and The Smallest Cog fame, gets to sample the new all-electric Porsche Cayenne EV: Richard Hammond drives the electric Cayenne for the first time | Porsche
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