Sometimes it feels like Porsche is two companies in one, determined to stick with the 911’s traditional shape and rear-engined layout decades after everyone else has moved on, yet at the same time pushing forward with progressive ideas like the original Cayenne, and later this year turning the 718 duo into EVs. The Cayenne will also get an electric powertrain option in 2026 when Porsche introduces a big brother to the Macan Electric, to be sold alongside the recently refreshed combustion Cayenne. The Cayenne EV will even ride on a stretched version of the Macan Electric’s architecture, the PPE platform already used by Audi’s Q6 e-tron and soon to be found on the Q8 e-tron, cousin to the Cayenne Electric. The combustion Cayenne runs on an entirely different platform that supports hybrid power, but not a full BEV setup.

We don’t yet know what the Cayenne EV’s powertrain lineup will look like, but we can be sure there’ll be some crossover with the Macan’s at the lower end of the range, and more power available further up the price ladder. The base Macan 4 makes 402 hp and 648 Nm of torque and zips from zero to 97 km/h in 4.9 seconds, while the Turbo punches out 630 hp and 1,128 Nm, and smashes the same marker in 3.1 seconds.

 

Transplanting those same drivetrains into the longer, heavier Cayenne, potentially with a bigger battery than the 100 kWh unit in the Macan, would certainly mean a slight reduction in performance. But more extreme power options will probably ensure the quickest Cayennes dip below 3 seconds to 60 mph, while the fastest of the current combustion models, the 650 hp Cayenne Turbo GT, takes 3.1 seconds. This EV prototype’s disguise also suggests the electric Cayenne will look more modern than the ICE SUV, taking styling cues from the Macan Electric, like the headlights, which are fitted into fenders that rise to create a valley for the hood slotted between them.

So the EV will probably be quicker, look sharper, and might be crammed with more technology than the older combustion Cayenne when the two start sharing showroom space in late 2026. But would the lure of V8 power persuade you to pick the gas-guzzler instead? Porsche recently reaffirmed its commitment to traditional enthusiasts by replacing a V6 with a V8 in the revised Cayenne S, as the GTS, Turbo E-Hybrid, and Turbo GT all offer V8 power. Drop a comment below and let us know which Cayenne would be on your shopping list.