2026 Porsche Cayenne Electric First Drive Review: The Most Powerful Porsche

• You can now buy the Porsche Cayenne with gasoline, hybrid and fully electric powertrains.
• This is one of the fastest and most powerful EVs on the road today.
• Prices for the 2026 Cayenne Electric start at around $112,000.

Gas, hybrid or EV

The new Cayenne Electric might share a name with Porsche's largest SUV, but the two models are very different, both inside and out. The new Cayenne Electric is essentially an all-new vehicle, much like the smaller Macan Electric, which doesn't share much with its gas-powered counterpart. While Porsche will still sell the gas- and hybrid-powered Cayenne, these SUVs will be sold alongside the new electric model. 

The Cayenne Electric is available in three trims — base, S and Turbo — though only the base and Turbo models were available for test drives. Prices start at about $112,000 for the base model, $130,000 for the Cayenne S Electric, and around $166,000 for the Cayenne Turbo Electric. All three models are powered by an electric motor at each axle. The front motor is the same across all models, but the rear motor varies by trim. 

The base Cayenne Electric delivers 435 horsepower with launch control, while the S delivers up to 657 hp. Both of those figures are better than their respective gas-powered counterparts. Torque output is 615 lb-ft for the base and 796 lb-ft for the Cayenne S Electric.

The Cayenne Turbo Electric — which is notably not actually turbocharged — offers a staggering 1,139 hp and 1,106 lb-ft of torque, making it Porsche's most powerful production model ever, edging out models like the Taycan Turbo GT and 918 Spyder. While I haven't had an opportunity to strap on our testing equipment and check the figures myself, Porsche's advertised 2.4-second 0-to-60-mph time would make it one of the quickest SUVs on the road. 

All of that power is supplied by a 108-kWh battery pack, which is similar to what you'll find in other midsize and large electric SUVs. Porsche claims up to 400 kW of DC fast charging, which is faster than most American charging stations can deliver. Given how well Porsches perform in the Edmunds EV Charging Test, I expect the Cayenne Electric to excel at fast charging. 

My biggest question is about range. Porsche usually offers conservative estimates for its models, with the Taycan and Macan Electric regularly exceeding their EPA estimates in the Edmunds EV Range Test. Given the battery capacity and Porsche's past performance, I'd expect base Cayenne Electrics to offer somewhere in the neighborhood of 300 to 350 miles of electric range. In an informal range test of a base Cayenne, we saw 328 miles.

The Cayenne Electric certainly looks like a Porsche, though the exterior styling gives it a fresher face than the gas-powered Cayenne. The pair are roughly the same size on the outside, though the Cayenne Electric's longer wheelbase means it offers better rear passenger space than the standard Cayenne. This is only a two-row SUV, so while passenger space in the Cayenne is actually pretty good, EVs like the Lucid Gravity, Rivian R1S and Tesla Model X all offer a third row of seating.

The interior as a whole is a step forward for Porsche. One of Edmunds' biggest complaints about the Macan Electric was its lackluster interior; I can't say the same for the Cayenne Electric. There's more leather and less plastic inside, and the new curved infotainment screen is both sleek and functional. The user interface is similar to that of other current Porsches, but the extra screen real estate allows for more information to be displayed. Unfortunately, the screen also houses controls for things like air vent adjustment, which is simply annoying. At least the volume and temperature controls are still physical.

Storage inside is better than that of other Cayennes, too. The center console is more versatile, with bigger bins and sliding covers that make it easy to tuck away things like a phone, sunglasses or other small items. The interior feels less open than that of some other electric SUVs, but it's better than what you'll find in most Porsches.

At 27.6 cubic feet, the Cayenne Electric's cargo capacity behind the rear seats is basically even with the gas model. While the regular Cayenne offers a bit more cargo space with the seats folded flat, the Cayenne Electric offers a bit more under the hood in the front trunk. The BMW iX, Rivian R1S, Tesla Model X and Lucid Gravity have more overall cargo space. 

The Cayenne Electric also has a towing capacity of 7,700 pounds, though expect range to suffer significantly if you've got a trailer behind you. A figure of 7,700 pounds is impressive for this class — it's really only short of the Cadillac Escalade IQ (8,000 pounds). The Cayenne Electric is on par with the Rivian R1S and exceeds the capacity of basically every other electric SUV.

Big, but agile

Porsche set me loose with the Cayenne Electric on some tight, winding mountain roads on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees. Here, the Cayenne Electric feels big and heavy but relatively agile. It's no 911, but Porsche's engineers have done an excellent job of making the Cayenne Electric feel smaller and more nimble than its dimensions would suggest. The steering is tight and direct, and the rear-axle steering on my test vehicle really helps it maneuver through tight roads and parking lots. 

An adaptive air suspension is standard on all models, which is a boon for both ride quality and handling. I wouldn't call the Cayenne Electric plush, though it does a solid job of tuning out bumps and imperfections. What it lacks in comfort, it makes up for in composure. The Cayenne Electric feels steady and calm at freeway speeds, and the feedback from the steering and chassis gives you plenty of confidence on winding roads. 

Like Porsche's other models, the Cayenne Electric's drive mode dial on the steering wheel can quickly change its personality. Comfort, Sport and Off-Road drive modes are pretty self-explanatory. A turn of the dial adjusts the air suspension's stiffness and ride height, throttle response, steering weight and more. On city streets and on the highway, the Cayenne Electric settles into a comfortable cruiser or commuter. On curvy roads, it does a fairly solid impersonation of a hot hatch. 

Power from the electric motors — especially in the Turbo — is immediate and fierce. There's zero delay between your inputs and the car's reaction, and, like the Macan EV, the electric motors do an excellent job of managing traction. There were points I was intentionally driving poorly (sharp steering inputs, accelerating too soon in a corner, etc.) in an effort to upset the vehicle, but Porsche's traction and stability control systems were smart enough to compensate for my behavior. Despite its sizable mass, this is an easy vehicle to drive quickly. 

An optional off-road package changes the front bumper design slightly, giving the Cayenne Electric even better ground clearance. The Cayenne Electric had no trouble on a short off-road course, tackling hills and mud with little effort. It doesn't feel quite as capable as a Rivian R1S, but I'd be comfortable taking the Cayenne Electric places that I wouldn't trust most other EVs. 

Premium appeal

It's no secret that Porsche's push toward electrification has not been well received among its traditional buyers, which explains the Taycan's poor sales. It's a shame, as I'm a big fan of that car. Porsche doesn't break out Macan Electric sales from those of the gas-powered model, but there's a reason that both are still on sale. Gas doesn't seem to be going anywhere, even though prices are trending upward again.

If you read some of the notes from the Porsche Macan Electric's logbook, which was previously part of our One-Year Road Test garage, you'll find both praise and criticism about things like interior space and build quality. I can't say the same for the Cayenne Electric, which is both more spacious and more premium than its smaller sibling. It's one of the most expensive EVs in its class, but that's typical for Porsche's offerings. 

I have a few lingering questions about range and charging speeds, and I'm curious if the Cayenne Turbo Electric can actually hit its cited performance figures (9.9 seconds in the quarter mile?!), but first impressions are very strong. Porsche has built an excellent premium electric SUV. Now it just has to convince people to get behind the wheel.