2026 Porsche Cayenne Electric reveal date set

The electric SUV will subsequently make its public debut at the Icons of Porsche Festival in Dubai on November 22, and launch in Australia around mid-2026.

Unlike Porsche's first electric SUV – the smaller Macan Electric – the Cayenne Electric will be sold alongside the existing combustion-powered third-generation Cayenne, although the German brand is also developing a belated replacement for the discontinued petrol-powered Macan.

The reveal timing for the fourth generation of Porsche's first and largest SUV, which was first released in 2002, was confirmed this week in the latest instalment of a drip-feed reveal campaign that also highlighted the technology transfer between Porsche's Formula E efforts and the new Cayenne Electric.

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In what's described as a rolling showcase of lessons learned from the racetrack with Formula E, in which Porsche currently holds both the teams' and manufacturers' world championships, much of the Cayenne Electric's hardware and software is directly derived from the Porsche 99X racer, including its motor cooling and energy recuperation systems.

According to Porsche R&D chief Dr Michael Steiner: "Formula E is our development lab for the electromobility of tomorrow… The new Cayenne Electric shows how quickly technology transfers from racing to road."

A headline innovation is direct oil cooling for the electric motor – a system Porsche pioneered in its Formula E program.

Instead of cooling the stator from the outside, oil flows directly along the copper windings, dissipating heat where it's generated. The result is said to be sustained peak performance and efficiency of up to 98 per cent, in a more compact motor package.

Like the 99X racer, Porsche says the Cayenne Electric can recuperate up to 600kW of energy under braking, and that around 97 per cent of all braking manoeuvres in everyday driving are handled entirely by the electric system, meaning the physical brakes often remain untouched.

Porsche says Formula E's new Pit Boost system – where a 30-second stop delivers a 10 per cent battery boost at 600kW – also inspired the Cayenne's charging setup. The production SUV supports DC fast-charging at up to 400kW (more than any public charger currently available in Australia), providing its battery with a 10-80 per cent top-up in under 16 minutes, and more than 300km of range in 10 minutes.

Based on the 800-volt Porsche Premium Electric (PPE) architecture – also used for the smaller Porsche Macan Electric launched in 2024 – the fourth-generation Cayenne's battery can be recharged wirelessly at speeds of up to 11kW, via an inductive floor plate charger called the Porsche Wireless Charging (PWC) system, which is yet to be confirmed for Australia. 

In its latest release, Porsche claims the Cayenne Electric will set new standards in the SUV space in terms of both performance and charging capability, as well as comfort and digital connectivity.

In its last missive in late October, Porsche confirmed the Cayenne EV will have a massive 113kWh lithium-ion battery pack with wireless (inductive) charging capability – and more than 563km of range – following the reveal of the SUV's radical new interior in September and a camouflaged prototype setting a British track record at the Shelsley Walsh hill climb in July, when its exterior design was largely exposed.

MORE: Explore the Porsche Cayenne showroom

Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au