While we’re not convinced there were many Porsche customers clamoring for a high-powered electric SUV, there’s no denying that the new Cayenne Electric boasts some impressive figures, chief among them, the fact that it’s the most powerful series production model ever built in Zuffenhausen.

Read: 1,139-HP Cayenne Electric Is Porsche’s Most Powerful Road Car Ever

In Turbo guise, the Cayenne Electric produces a staggering 1,139 horsepower and sprints from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 2.5 seconds.

That puts it squarely in hypercar territory, yet this is a full-size luxury SUV, complete with every comfort you could possibly need or not need. Porsche also claims it can cover up to 488 miles (785 km) on a single charge when driven in urban conditions.

Still, like many high-performance EVs, the Cayenne Electric’s greatest strength is matched by a significant drawback. Weight remains the elephant in the room, and in this case, it’s a glaringly heavy one.

How Heavy Is Too Heavy?

A look at the technical breakdown for the Cayenne Turbo Electric shows a curb weight of 5,831 lbs (2,645 kg) according to the DIN standard, or 5,997 lbs (2,720 kg) under the latest EU Directive, which factors in a 165-lb (75-kg) driver.

That makes this the heaviest road-going Porsche ever produced. Unless the engineers in Stuttgart have performed some kind of chassis sorcery, hiding that mass will be a serious challenge.

For context, consider the new hybrid BMW M5, a car already heavily criticized, even mocked, for its bulk. The sedan tips the scales at 5,390 lbs (2,444 kg), while the M5 Touring version edges up to 5,530 lbs (2,508 kg). The Cayenne Turbo Electric surpasses both with room to spare.

It also outweighs the Ford F-150 Raptor, which comes in at 5,710 lbs (2,590 kg), and is not far behind the Raptor R at 5,950 lbs (2,698 kg). Even standard versions of the F-150, such as the V8-powered Regular Cab at 4,948 lbs (2,245 kg) and the SuperCrew at 5,038 lbs (2,285 kg), appear relatively light in comparison.

The new all-electric Cayenne is also roughly on par with the Hyundai Ioniq 9, which weighs between 5,523 lbs (2,505 kg) and 5,908 lbs (2,680 kg) depending on the specification. However, it’s worth noting that the Ioniq 9 is a three-row SUV and is longer and wider than the Porsche.

Heavy, But Not the Heaviest

That said, the Cayenne isn’t quite as weighty as the Rivian R1S Quad Motor, which reaches an astonishing 6,824 lbs (3,169 kg). Despite that, the Rivian’s 1,025 horsepower still falls short of the Porsche’s output.

Also: BMW M5 Weighs 1,000 Lbs More Than Its Predecessor, Is Heavier Than Many F-150s!

The launch of the Cayenne Electric comes at an interesting time for the Porsche brand. Not too long ago, it had been planning to only sell the future Cayman and Boxster models with electric powertrains and had been planning a flagship seven-seat SUV, codenamed the K1, to be also sold exclusively as an EV.

Those plans have now shifted. Porsche has confirmed that all of these future models will be re-engineered to accommodate combustion power as well.

The original Cayenne supercharged Porsche’s sales, and 23 years later, the third-generation car is still the brand’s best-seller. But now the nameplate is heading into new territory with the launch of the 2026 Cayenne Electric, a battery-powered twist on the formula using lessons learned from the smaller Macan EV.

Related: Porsche’s Next Hybrids Could Get A Trick New Electric Motor

This isn’t just an electrified version of the familiar Cayenne. The new electric models ride on an entirely different platform, a version of the PPE architecture used in the Macan Electric, but stretched 5.1 inches (130 mm) to give a 119-inch (3,020 mm) wheelbase.

That wheelbase is also longer than the combustion Cayenne’s by the same amount, resulting in a healthy increase in rear legroom for passengers.

But enough about what the ruler says. Does the Cayenne Electric rule over its ICE brother when the light turns green? Damn right, it does.

There are two flavors at launch: the Cayenne Electric and the mighty Cayenne Turbo Electric. Both are all-wheel-drive, both are loaded with tech, and both are clearly designed to make you question why you ever cared about cylinders.

Most Powerful Porsche Ever

Let’s start with the showstopper. The $163,000 (plus $2,350 dest) Cayenne Turbo Electric’s dual-motor powertrain generates 844 hp (857 PS / 630 kW) in normal driving, but the Push-to-Pass boost, activated by a button on the steering wheel, throws in an additional 173 hp (177 PS / 130 kW) for 10 seconds at a time.

And the madness doesn’t end there, because with Launch Control activated, you can unleash up to 850 kW, which translates to 1,139 hp (1,155 PS) and 1,106 lb-ft (1,500 Nm) of torque.

Porsche says its most powerful production car ever goes zero to 60 mph (97 kmh) in 2.4 seconds – versus 3.1 seconds for the fastest combustion Cayenne, the Turbo GT – and gobbles up the standing quarter-mile in 9.9 seconds. Top speed? An ample 162 mph (260 km/h). Welcome to Porsche’s new performance reality.

The ‘regular’ $109,000 Cayenne Electric is plenty slower, but hardly tame. It produces 402 hp (408 PS / 300 kW) in normal driving and up to 435 hp (441 PS / 324 kW) when Launch Control is engaged. That output, and the 615 lb-ft (834 Nm) that goes with it, delivers you to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 143 mph (230 km/h).

Brakes Optional

Both trims also deliver serious energy recuperation, with braking that can feed up to 600 kW back into the battery. Porsche claims that about 97 percent of routine braking situations never need to involve the physical brakes, though you can still opt for PCCB carbon rotors if you feel inclined.

Adaptive air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management is standard, and the Turbo adds a torque-vectoring rear differential. Both variants can be optioned with rear-axle steering and Porsche Active Ride, using active anti-roll bars, as on the Taycan, is also available.

The new 113 kWh battery pack is the heart of both models and is 13 kWh bigger than the one in the Macan Electric. Thanks to 800-volt architecture and improved cooling, the Cayenne Electric can charge at up to 400 kW under ideal conditions. A jump from 10 to 80 percent takes less than 16 minutes.

Porsche is also introducing optional inductive charging, becoming the first automaker to offer the tech on an EV in the US. Pull into your garage, park over the floor pad, and the SUV starts charging by itself at up to 11 kW.

Like A Scaled-Up Macan Electric

On the styling front, Porsche resisted the temptation to reinvent the Cayenne silhouette too radically. Instead, it sharpened it, bringing in some tricks from the Macan EV. The bonnet sits lower, the headlights are slimmer, the body lines crisper, and the doors feature frameless glass.

Out back, a 3D-effect light bar and illuminated Porsche lettering add nighttime pizzazz. Turbo Electric models get extra contrasting bits in a color called Turbonite, which sounds like something a Marvel villain would wear.

The Cayenne Electric’s new shape isn’t just for show. A drag coefficient of 0.25 makes it one of the most slippery SUVs in its class. Hidden aero flaps, a smart roof spoiler, and trick aero blades help it slice through the air and squeeze out more range. Porsche says the system constantly adjusts to changing speeds and loads, adding grip when needed and cutting drag when it’s not.

And if you’re more interested in cutting through rock trails than cutting through the air, an Off-Road Design package brings different front and rear bumpers to improve the approach and departure angles.

Related: New Cayenne Electric Packs More Screens Than A Vegas Buffet Of LEDs

Inside, rear passengers get more legroom and electric seat adjustment as standard, interior surface heating, and a panoramic roof that uses liquid-crystal tech to alter its opacity.

Then there’s the digital experience. The new Flow Display stretches across the dash with two large OLED screens for gauge cluster and infotainment duties. A 14.9-inch passenger display is optional.

There’s also an epic 87-inch head-up display with augmented reality guidance available, a new AI-driven Voice Pilot, and an upgraded app system with streaming and gaming baked in. That’s a lot of tech, but at least Porsche kept physical buttons for things like climate and volume.

A Long Wait

US deliveries of the 2026 Cayenne Electric start in late summer 2026, by which time we’ll be able to fill in blanks that include those all-important EPA range figures and maybe confirmation of the rumored mid-ranking Cayenne S with around 592 hp (600 PS / 441 kW), designed to bridge the gap between the two launch models. We’re also expecting to see the GTS badge appear at some point, as it has recently on the Macan Electric.

But don’t worry, if you’re a committed ICE fan, the combustion and plug-in hybrid versions of the Cayenne aren’t going anywhere, as they will live on well into the 2030s.

All the pictures above show the Cayenne Turbo Electric. The images in the gallery below are of the regular Cayenne Electric.

Porsche