Porsche previews Cayenne Electric with record-setting prototype run

Porsche has shared new information about its upcoming all-electric Cayenne, which will be sold alongside existing gasoline and hybrid variants. The electric model is being positioned as a versatile SUV with performance, everyday usability, and off-road capability. As part of a promotional film shoot in England, a camouflaged prototype of the Cayenne Electric was driven at the Shelsley Walsh hill climb by Gabriela Jílková, a development and simulator driver for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team.

During the demonstration, the vehicle completed the 914-meter course with a time of 31.28 seconds, beating the previous record for a sport utility vehicle by over four seconds. At the first timing point, 60 yards from the start line, the Cayenne Electric registered an acceleration time of 1.94 seconds. According to Porsche, only single-seat race cars with slick tires have achieved that level of performance at the event.

The prototype was equipped with Porsche Active Ride, a chassis system designed to maintain a level body posture during braking, acceleration, and cornering. The system aims to balance comfort and driving dynamics. Michael Schätzle, Vice President of the Cayenne product line, stated that final tuning of the Cayenne Electric is still underway, but the drive components and equipment of the prototype were at production level.

In addition to its performance run, the Cayenne Electric was used to tow a vintage car and trailer weighing approximately three tons. The vehicle transported the load from Hereford to a nearby garage as part of a filming project with presenter Richard Hammond. Porsche reports that the Cayenne Electric is being engineered with a towing capacity of up to 7,716 pounds (3.5 tons), depending on the configuration. This matches the towing capability of the internal combustion Cayenne models.

Porsche confirmed that it will continue to offer gasoline and hybrid variants of the Cayenne into the next decade. However, the company stated that performance figures demonstrated by the electric prototype are only possible through electrification. A production version of the Cayenne Electric is still under development.

The prototype vehicle will next be shown publicly at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, scheduled for July 10–13, 2025.