Why this car brand was right to ditch petrol power in its most popular model - Porsche Macan makes more sense as an electric car | Opinion

You may have missed the news, but the Porsche Macan is now only available as an electric car.

Porsche may be about to do a monstrous backflip and build petrol Macans after a drop in sales for the new all-electric version.

That would be a mistake, as this is the perfect Porsche to ditch petrol power.

Porsche lives in the real world and reducing emissions is a part of life for carmakers now and that won’t change.

So switching its smallest, least powerful and everyday-driver-focused SUV to all electric power is the smart choice and will help prolong the life of its flagship 911.

The majority of Macan buyers appear to be from well-heeled suburbs in our capital cities, with the vehicle used as an everyday conveyance.

This is where electric cars excel. 

If you drive about 100km a day or so (the average Aussie drives 38km a day), then you’ll realistically only need to charge the Macan Electric only once or twice a week. Preferably you just top up every day or two. All you’d need is a 7kW charger at home with some solar panels and it’d be free to run.

@carsguide.com.au This is the perfect Porsche to go EV only. #Porsche #Macan #electriccars #cars #carsguide #fyp ♬ original sound - CarsGuide.com.au

Its circa-95kWh battery delivers a driving range of between 654km and 616km depending on the variant you choose. Throw in ultra-fast charging capabilities and it makes the occasional long road trip a cinch.

I spent a week in the Macan 4, which is the second model on the four-rung totem pole.

It blends solid performance with a long range. It effectively takes the palace of the popular Macan S that again was the best of both worlds.

It has some impressive stats: it makes 300kW and 650Nm and can sprint from 0-100km/h in a respectable 5.2 seconds. The top-shelf Turbo version makes a whopping 470kW and 1130Nm, and it can complete the benchmark 0-100km/h sprint in just 3.3 seconds.

The Macan Electric is refined on the road and whisper quiet, with the adaptable suspension of my test car meaning it could smooth and composed over pockmarked city streets or taught and engaging on a tight and twisting road.

The steering is typical Porsche quality; it has a good weight to it and is direct with plenty of feedback, which all combine for a predictable and confident drive experience.

And because it is an SUV, not a sports car, it can handle having the extra weight of the batteries as it was never meant to be as dynamically sharp as a 911 or Cayman. The weight of the batteries actually work in its favour as it lowers the centre of gravity, which helps reduce the trade-offs associated with high-riding SUVs.

The cabin feels just like any other Porsche, so there is no need to skimp on quality. In fact, being electric tends to liberate more room inside as there are less mechanical parts and no direct link between the front and rear wheels. 

The Macan back seat isn’t the roomiest, but its boot is sizeable, again a great feature for everyday living.

The only issue is the price. It is a massive jump up compared to the petrol version.

The range kicks off at $128,400 before on-road costs, which is a jump of more than $30,000 compared to the most affordable version of the outgoing petrol model.

Our Macan 4 starts at $134,400 then it jumps up to $149,300 for the 4S before topping out at $184,400 for the Turbo.