Back in November after years of teasing and spy shots, Porsche finally revealed the Cayenne EV, which will sit alongside the existing third-generation gas-powered Cayenne when it reaches dealerships in a few months. As the automaker is want to do, it initially released information on the base Cayenne Electric and the Cayenne Turbo Electric models that will be going on sale first, but now it’s time to learn more about another trim: the Cayenne S Electric.
This mid-range EV is pretty much exactly what you’d expect from a Porsche with an S on the back. It has a substantial but not world-beating amount of power, it’s available with some great performance features, and it’s not as absurdly priced as the Turbo. But what I really want to focus on here is the new Interior Style Package, which is debuting on the Cayenne S but will be offered on every version of the Cayenne Electric.
Feeling green
Porsche has really leaned into customization in recent years, to huge success. Yes, there’s the wildly popular Paint to Sample program, which has completely changed the market for both new and used Porsches. But the brand’s Exclusive Manufaktur division does way more than that, from creating special edition models and bespoke one-offs to coming up with color and trim options that “regular” Porsche buyers can select on the configurator, like personalized armrest embossing and color-matching leather-wrapped air vents. Now the Exclusive Manufaktur team is joining forces with Style Porsche, the automaker’s design department, to create new “Director’s Cut” packages, the first of which you see here.
Porsche
Simply called the Interior Style Package, it’s coordinated with the lovely Mystic Green Metallic exterior paint we’ve already seen on the Cayenne Electric. The two-tone interior is finished in Black and Delgada Green leather, with a different color split than what you get with other interior options. Delgada Green is also used on the seat belts and contrast stitching, with the headrests getting a simple outline of the Porsche crest instead of the full-on emblem, and the steering wheel getting cross stitching and a Delgada Green 12 o’clock marker. All of the aluminum trim is painted Izabal Green, including the ring around the steering wheel airbag and the knurled drive mode dial. Also finished in Izabal Green are the compass dial, Sport Chrono stopwatch and the power meter in the digital gauge cluster.
Porsche
Rounding off the package are Silvershade accents, black anodized aluminum door sill guards, and black floor mats with decorative edging and emblems. Oh, and the center armrest has “Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur” embossed on it, and the car’s key is painted in Izabal Green and comes in a pouch with Delgada Green stitching. Honestly, I think Porsche could’ve done a lot more green here, but it’s still pretty great.
It’s quite quick
Okay, back to the Cayenne S Electric’s specifics, I guess. Its dual-motor powertrain puts out 536 horsepower in normal driving, which is upped to 657 hp when launch control is active. That’s a big jump over the 435 hp the base model puts out when in launch mode, but the Cayenne Turbo Electric has almost double the power still, at 1,139 horses. As with the Turbo, the rear motor has a direct oil cooler. Porsche says the Cayenne S Electric will hit 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, splitting the difference between the 4.5 seconds of the base car and the 2.4 seconds of the Turbo. That also makes the Cayenne S Electric only a tenth slower to 60 mph than the gas-slurping Turbo E-Hybrid Coupe. Porsche hasn’t said what the range will be, but the S shares its 113-kWh battery pack with the other Cayenne EVs, boasting 400-kW fast-charging capabilities that can take the car from 10% to 80% in under 16 minutes.
Visually differentiating the Cayenne S from the base model are an trim-specific 20-inch aero wheel design, and tweaked front and rear bumper elements painted in Volcano Grey Metallic along with body color inserts. You’ll be able to option the Cayenne S Electric with Porsche’s Active Ride suspension system, ceramic-composite brakes, and Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus, all options typically reserved for Turbo-and-above models. Porsche says the Cayenne S Electric will start at $128,650 including destination, $17,300 more than the base model but $36,700 less than the Turbo. Deliveries will start at the end of summer.
