Family Fast! The Porsche Cayenne Electric SUV Has More Horsepower than a Bugatti Veyron Supercar

September 2026 · 16 minute read

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Michael Simari|Car and Driver

Michael Simari|Car and Driver

Michael Simari|Car and Driver

Michael Simari|Car and Driver

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A sleek light green SUV driving on a sunlit road with blurred background.
Michael Simari|Car and Driver

MSRP

By Austin Parsons

Overview

Some Porsche snobs might scoff at the idea of their fabled brand building a mid-size electric SUV, but the Cayenne Electric earns its spot in the lineup honestly. Slide behind the wheel, and you'll find that the Cayenne Electric strikes a deft balance between luxury, speed, and agility—just like its gas-burning Cayenne counterpart. Potent electric propulsion and advanced tech only enhance those attributes further.

Three powertrains are on offer, all with two motors and all-wheel drive. The base Cayenne Electric produces a healthy 435 horsepower, while the S trim wields 657 of the silent electric ponies. The Turbo is the stunner, with 1139 horsepower, a 60-mph sprint of just 2.1 seconds, and active aerodynamics that improve range. With an 800-volt electric architecture, a real-world electric range of 300 miles, and a generous amount of cargo space, the Cayenne Electric makes for a practical EV without abandoning the Porsche ethos.

Expert Tip: While the Lucid Gravity can't dance as well as the Cayenne Electric on twisty roads, it makes a case for itself with mighty electric range and a remarkably spacious and comfortable interior that seats up to seven passengers.

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What's New for 2027?

The Porsche Cayenne Electric was just introduced last year, so changes are unlikely for 2027.

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Pricing and Which One to Buy

EV Motor, Power, and Performance

All Cayenne Electric models come with dual-motor powertrains and all-wheel drive. The base model produces 435 horsepower, and the S makes 657, but the Turbo is the star of the show with its massive 1139-hp output. That makes the Cayenne Electric the most powerful Porsche ever made by a comfortable margin.

Like the Taycan and Panamera, the Cayenne Electric is offered with Porsche's amazing Active Ride suspension. The system's ability to soak up road imperfections and control body motions felt magical during our test drive of a Cayenne EV. Models not fitted with Active Ride have two-valve dampers and two-chamber air springs. Rear-axle steering is an option, and the Turbo also comes standard with a torque-vectoring limited-slip differential. The Turbo model features active aerodynamics in the form of aero blades that pop out of the rear of the car at speeds above 40 mph to reduce drag and improve range.

0–60-MPH Times

In Comparison: The ludicrously quick Cayenne Electric Turbo is far quicker than the gas-powered Cayenne Turbo GT despite being over 1000 pounds heavier. We haven’t yet tested the lower-powered variants, but we’ll update this section when we do.

Towing and Payload Capacity

Porsche says that the Cayenne Electric will have a maximum towing capacity of 7716 pounds, which is mighty impressive for a luxury electric SUV. That's 2716 pounds more than the Cadillac Vistiq can pull, and equal to the Rivian R1S's maximum towing capacity.

Range, Charging, and Battery Life

Official EPA range ratings for the Cayenne Electric are as high as 339 miles for the base Coupe model with the 20-inch wheel option, and as low as 298 miles for the most powerful Turbo model. As with all of Porsche's EVs, the Cayenne Electric will rely on an 800-volt electrical architecture. In our real-world 75-mph highway range test, the Cayenne Electric Turbo beat its EPA estimate and recorded an impressive result of 300 miles.

The brand says that the Cayenne Electric will be its fastest-charging EV to date, with a peak charge rate of up to 400 kilowatts. It will also be the first of the company's EVs to feature a NACS charge port; a J1772 socket also comes on the opposite side of the vehicle. In our testing, we charged the Cayenne Electric Turbo from 15 to 90 percent in 24 minutes.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPGe

EPA ratings for the Cayenne Electric Turbo sit at 85 MPGe combined, 91 MPGe city, and 78 MPGe highway. We don’t yet have estimates for the other configurations. MPGe stands for miles per gallon of gas equivalent, an EPA metric that estimates PHEV and EV fuel efficiency. For more information about the Cayenne Electric's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

First Row: The Cayenne Electric's cabin is, unsurprisingly, more tech-focused than the one in the gas-powered Cayenne. While the steering wheel and seating accommodations are largely similar, the Cayenne Electric's new infotainment screen design takes up most of the dashboard real estate.

Second Row: The Cayenne Electric's wheelbase is almost five inches longer than the gas-powered Cayenne, potentially opening up more legroom for rear seat passengers. The second row can be folded down at the press of a button to increase cargo space.

Cargo Capacity: With the rear seat in the upright position, the squareback Cayenne Electric has 20 cubic feet of cargo space; that number jumps to 56 cubic feet with the second row folded down. We fit 10 carry-on suitcases in the Cayenne Electric’s cargo area with the seats up and 26 cases with the rear seats folded. There's also a little 3 cubic-foot frunk that's good for a backpack or two. The Cayenne Coupe Electric model's sloping roofline likely offers a little less room in the trunk; we'll know for sure when we test it.

Infotainment and Connectivity

The Cayenne Electric's forward cabin is dominated by a 12.3-inch central infotainment touchscreen. This "Flow Display," as Porsche calls it, features a curved OLED screen that bends towards the driver and meets up with the center console in a single fluid unit. A 14.9-inch passenger display can also be optioned, which combines with the central touchscreen to occupy the majority of the dashboard.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

Porsche offers basic driver-assistance tech as standard in the Cayenne Electric. Some more advanced features, including a remote parking assistant, are available as options.

For information about the Cayenne Electric's crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites.

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Porsche provides a competitive warranty plan that's comparable to what other luxury EV marques offer. However, coverage of the Macan Electric's electrical components is capped at eight years or 100,000 miles, whereas Tesla offers unlimited mileage for the same amount of time.

C/D Test Results and Specs

Each year, we put hundreds of vehicles through our rigorous instrumented testing regimen. If the data in the chart below is for a different model year, that's because this vehicle hasn't changed since we last tested it, and the test results remain accurate.

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Specifications

Specifications

2026 Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric
Vehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon

PRICE
Base/As Tested: $165,350/$194,600

POWERTRAIN
Front Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 362 hp
Rear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 805 hp
Combined Power: 1139 hp
Combined Torque: 1106 lb-ft
Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 108 kWh
Peak Charge Rate, AC/DC: 9.6/400 kW
Transmissions, F/R: direct-drive

CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: multilink/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 17.3-in vented, cross-drilled carbon-ceramic disc/16.1-in vented, cross-drilled carbon-ceramic disc
Tires: Pirelli P Zero R
F: 285/40R-22 110Y NG0 Elect
R: 325/35R-22 114Y NG0 Elect

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 119.0 in
Length: 196.3 in
Width: 78.0 in
Height: 65.3–68.1 in
Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 55/26 ft3
Front Trunk Volume: 3 ft3
Curb Weight: 5960 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 2.1 sec
100 mph: 4.5 sec
130 mph: 7.4 sec
1/4-Mile: 9.5 sec @ 146 mph
150 mph: 10.1 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 2.4 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 1.1 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 1.4 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 166 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 140 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 282 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 1.05 g

Interior Sound
Idle: 44 dBA/4 sone
Full Throttle: 73 dBA
70-mph Cruising: 71 dBA/26 sone

C/D FUEL ECONOMY AND CHARGING
Observed: 55 MPGe
75-mph Highway Range: 300 mi
Average DC Fast-Charge Rate, 10–90%: 239 kW
DC Fast-Charge Time, 10–90%: 24 min

EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 85/91/78 MPGe
Range: 298 mi

C/D TESTING EXPLAINED

More Features and Specs

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