As Porsche edges closer to the launch of its second all-electric SUV, the brand has begun peeling back the camouflage—literally and figuratively—on what might be its most versatile EV to date. The upcoming Porsche Cayenne Electric has entered the final stages of global testing, and it’s already making headlines. A near-production prototype recently shattered a hill climb record, hauled vintage metal across the English countryside, and offered an early glimpse at what electrified performance and practicality can really look like.
Electrified Heritage Meets British Motorsport
The stage for this electric debut? None other than the legendary Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb—a motorsport relic dating back to 1905. Nestled in Worcestershire, England, the narrow and notoriously technical track played host to a filming project featuring the new Cayenne Electric, with none other than Gabriela Jílková, simulator and development driver for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, behind the wheel.
Facing gradients of up to 16.7% and corners barely wider than a city alley, Jílková piloted the prototype SUV to a record-breaking 31.28-second run—over four seconds faster than the previous SUV best.
“The course is challenging and does not forgive mistakes,” she remarked. “But the active suspension gives the new Cayenne enormous stability and precision. I felt completely confident at all times.”
Precision Meets Power: Porsche Active Ride
Much of that confidence stems from Porsche Active Ride, a new active suspension system debuting in the electric Cayenne. Designed to keep the body flat and composed under hard braking, acceleration, and cornering, it ensures a refined yet dynamic driving experience—crucial for a vehicle straddling the line between sports car agility and SUV practicality.
According to Michael Schätzle, Vice President of the Cayenne product line, the technology “significantly expands the range between driving dynamics and ride comfort.” And the numbers back it up. From a standstill, the SUV blasted past the first 60-foot marker in just 1.94 seconds, a figure typically reserved for open-wheel race cars fitted with slicks.
A Utility Vehicle That Means It
But raw speed isn’t the only metric Porsche is gunning for. While performance grabs headlines, Porsche hasn’t forgotten what made the Cayenne a global success over two decades: usability and versatility. During the filming in England, automotive presenter Richard Hammond put the prototype to a different kind of test—hauling a two-tonne, 100-year-old classic car on a trailer from Hereford to his garage.
Despite a combined towing load of nearly three tonnes, the Cayenne Electric performed the task with ease. Hammond summed it up succinctly:
“We were trailing significant weight behind us, but you wouldn’t know it – the Cayenne handled it effortlessly.”
That’s no coincidence. Porsche confirms that the Cayenne Electric is being engineered to offer a towing capacity of up to 3.5 tonnes, matching its combustion counterparts—a rare feat in the battery electric vehicle (BEV) world.
A Glimpse Into Porsche’s Electrified Future
The Cayenne Electric isn’t just a performance statement—it’s a manifesto. Schätzle emphasized Porsche’s commitment to offering combustion, hybrid, and fully electric powertrains well into the next decade. Yet, he acknowledged that only electrification could unlock the unprecedented blend of power, efficiency, and refinement showcased at Shelsley Walsh.
“The Cayenne Electric will set new standards—without compromising on everyday usability and practicality,” he said.
With its global launch drawing closer, the Cayenne Electric is shaping up to be more than just an evolution—it could be a revolution for luxury electric SUVs. Blending track-taming agility, trailer-hauling muscle, and road-trip-ready comfort, it stands as a compelling argument that the age of electrification doesn’t mean leaving utility behind.
Source: Porsche
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