Porsche Macan EV finally arrives with 300+ miles WLTP range, track skills
Porsche invited us out to Leipzig Germany all the way back in October to show off the Panamera Plug-in Hybrid and the new PPE-based Macan EV. We were kept on an incredibly short leash but learned a lot about the upcoming SUV, and paradoxically we were left with almost as many questions as answers…
Macan is a hugely important vehicle in Porsche’s lineup second only to the larger Cayenne in vehicle sales globally. It is also a beautiful and luxurious sports SUV that can be at ease in an upscale suburban neighborhood or on a track pushing major G forces. To say that its transition to EV is important to Porsche is a wild understatement, especially as it is also the first vehicle to use Porsche and Audi’s co-developed PPE (Premium Platform Electric) platform. Its sibling, the Audi A6 e-tron which is supposed to have the PPE platform as well has been delayed from 2022 launch to 2024 and possibly beyond.
During our visit, we went into great detail on certain aspects of the Macan EV and other things like actually driving the vehicle, charging the vehicle or even seeing the interior without blankets over everything left big holes in the information experience. So on some levels, I feel like I know this car intimately, and on others, it is still a foreign entity.
The choice was a strange one since Porsche did have an actual drive of the Macan EV (prototype) in the US prior to the October excursion. Sadly, we missed that opportunity.
So, for what we know:
Porsche Macan EV Battery and Range
The Porsche Macan EV battery specs are impressive. The 152Ah, 662V 100kW system can output almost 500kW or 670 horsepower. But it also gets a 500km/310-mile WLTP range which is quite a lot compared to the Taycan’s range estimates.
Like the Taycan, the Macan EV’s PPE drivetrain can take a 270kW charge but it can also max out a 400V charging station (like Tesla’s V3 Superchargers). What’s more important than the max charge rate is the charging curve and the Macan is going to beat most, according to the slightly ambiguous graphs below.
In the right conditions, a Macan EV can go from 10% to 80% state of charge in as little as 22 minutes, given the optimum 23C/74F temperature. That charge time will stay under 25 minutes from 13C(55F) to 42C (107F) for about 220 WLTP miles or 3 hours of spirited highway driving.
Because Porsche has learned so much since launching Taycan and has so much great data. They can better plan and optimize travel by heating and cooling the batteries along the routes in anticipation of the type of chargers that are ahead.
Porsche Macan EV on the track
We got a “taxi ride” on the Porsche Leipzig track and it was a white-knuckle affair. Sadly we weren’t allowed to record any of it (!?) but I did a quick video as we were leaving the facility.
We got to sit shotgun or in the back while a Porsche engineer and racing enthusiast took us around the Liepzig track at breakneck speeds. It was as much fun as you are going to have in the passenger seat of a Porsche.
Even these vehicles with the blankets over the instrument panels were really tight through the corners, though my first vehicle required a reboot to get running. In order of priority when building vehicles, you can tell Porsche’s priorities are: Can it fly on the track? and [everything else].
But the Macan is an SUV and SUVs aren’t just made for the track…
Porsche Macan EV off-road experience
We got an offroad demonstration which, I’m going to be honest here, wasn’t nearly as thrilling as the track. The Macan EV can traverse foot-high water, does great on admittedly manicured dirt roads, and can climb very steep grades. IF you are wondering if this thing can go off-road with the likes of say a Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo, yes it absolutely can. If you find yourself needing to take a dirt road, climb a steep hill, or need to cross a stream, the Macan can do this.
However, Porsche’s off-road track is probably no scarier than some people’s backyard. If off-roading is a serious passion, you might want to look into a Rivian or upcoming Range Rover EV.
Electrek’s Take
We’ve been waiting for PPE vehicles from Porsche and Audi for quite some time and unfortunately, it has taken a lot longer than anticipated. You can feel some of the tension in the Porsche employee’s words throwing some of the blame for its lateness on the Volkswagen software group, the Pandemic or something else. This might be the beginning and end of the PPE platform as Porsche clearly wants to do much more of this work on their own, both software and hardware.
As I’ve said, this event was very catered. We barely got to drive the Panamera Plug-in Hybrid and only got a Taxi ride in the Macan EV over 3 days. The interior of the Macan was hidden except for dashboards and we weren’t allowed to use our own cameras for just about anything. I’m not even sure if I can tell you that the passenger seats were quite comfortable and roomy. Here’s a render of the interior:
But the trip was lovely, the Porsche experience center in Leipzig was amazing and something every Porsche enthusiast should experience. As for the Macan EV, we can’t wait to experience that too.
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James Murdoch, a Tesla board member and friend of CEO Elon Musk, has confirmed that he sold about $13 million in stock today as the stock (TSLA) crashed.
There has been a lot of insider trading at Tesla lately, and by trading, we mean selling – cause no insider is ever buying at Tesla.
We recently reported on Kimball Musk, Elon’s brother, and Tesla’s Chief Financial Officer Taneja Vaibhav recently selling ahead of a recent drop in the company’s stock price.
Tesla’s chairwoman, Robyn Denholm, also sold $33 million worth of Tesla shares last week and over $100 million in the last 3 months.
Now, it’s James Murdoch’s turn. The Tesla board member just confirmed, through a required SEC filing, that he sold 54,776 Tesla shares for just over $13 million today:
He sold as Tesla’s stock crashed 15% today. It is now down more than 50% from its all-time high just a few months ago.
Murdoch was appointed to Tesla’s board in 2017.
He is better known as the son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch and the former CEO of 21st Century Fox from 2015 to 2019.
Murdoch was one of the Tesla board directors who was forced to return almost $1 billion in cash and stock options to Tesla as part of a settlement for over-compensation.
Electrek’s Take
Tesla insiders are unloading, and those are just the ones we know about. Public companies only have to report insider trading for board directors and listed top executives.
For the latter, Tesla purposefully only lists 3 people: Elon, Vaibhav Taneja, Tesla’s CFO, and Tom Zhu, whose role at Tesla has bit quite fluid in recent years.
Therefore, we don’t know about the dozens of other top executives potentially selling their shares right now amid a giant correction.
It’s really suspicious because there are clear top leaders at Tesla who are often on Tesla’s earnings calls, and they are not even listed, like Lars Moravy, for example.
But it’s par for the course at Tesla, which has some of the worst corporate governance I have ever seen. It’s truly shameful.
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Environment
Mercedes’ new electric people mover is coming soon: Here’s a sneak peek at the luxe EV van
The next generation of Mercedes-Benz luxury vans is almost here. Mercedes’ first luxury electric van, based on its new VAN.EA platform, is now in Arjeplog, Sweden, for winter testing. The new platform will serve as the base for upcoming VIP private vans, high-end limousines, luxury all-arounders, and much more.
What we know about Mercedes’ new luxury electric van
Mercedes is already a leading van maker, both for business and private use. Starting next year, all electric Mercedes’ vans will launch on its new Van Electric Architecture (VAN.EA).
After unveiling the platform almost two years ago, Mathias Geisen, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, said “VAN.EA clearly underscores our aspiration to ‘Lead in Electric.” He explained that the purpose-built EV architecture supports both mid and large vans.
With a modular design, Mercedes can easily swap out sections to create a different design. The platform consists of three blocks, or modules.
The first block has the electric powertrain while the middle module determines the van’s dimensions. At the rear, the final module can add another electric motor, giving it AWD capabilities.
With 4MATIC AWD, Mercedes claims the new architecture significantly expands driving range and ensures the vans “meet the highest standards regardless of weather conditions.”
Although final specs will be revealed closer to launch, the electric vans will be based on an 800V platform, suggesting relatively fast charging speeds.
The luxury vans will also be loaded with Mercedes’ new operating system (MB.OS), it’s powerful new in-vehicle software that powers all functions like infotainment, autonomous driving, and more.
After the electric van began testing on public roads late last year, Mercedes said it was headed to Sweden for winter testing before its official debut next year.
Mercedes plans to launch several versions for private and business use. The VAN.EA-P is designed for those looking for a mobile office, family activity vehicle, etc., while the VAN.EA-C is for commercial use, such as courier, express, and parcel delivery vehicles. It can even support larger vehicles like campers or RVs.
Mercedes aims for 20% of van sales to be electric by the end of next year. By 2030, the luxury brand wants half of all van sales to be EV.
Source: Mercedes-Benz
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Environment
BlackRock’s Fink says Trump deportations will have severe impact on agriculture, construction
HOUSTON — BlackRock CEO Larry Fink said Monday that President Donald Trump‘s deportation policy will have a severe impact on the agriculture and construction sectors, which could lead to elevated inflation in the near term.
“I think that over the next six to nine months, we’re going to see a little more elevated inflation,” Fink said the CERAWeek by S&P Global energy conference. “I do believe deportations and the speed at which it is happening is going to have severe impacts on the agricultural sector and the construction sector.”
Fink said CEOs in the agriculture sector have told him that about 70% of the men and women who work in the industry were not born in the U.S. This raises the question of whether the U.S. will have enough labor to harvest the crops when spring arrives, Fink said.
“With the whole idea that we’re going to have to use private capital to build out this economy — are we going to have enough workers,” Fink asked. “I’ve even told members of the Trump team that we’re going to run out of electricians as we build out AI data centers — we just don’t have enough,” the CEO said.
This potential labor shortage will contribute to inflation, Fink said. Over the longer term, however, the U.S. could see “big deflation because of the advancement of AI and robots and how that’s going to reshape the economy,” the CEO said.
The deflationary pressure that the U.S. experienced over the past two decades was due in part to the importation of cheaper goods from overseas though this hurt U.S. workers, Fink said. The shift to rising nationalism around the world will have an impact on prices, he said.
“When I go to Washington, they talk about these policies,” Fink said. “I ask at what cost are you willing to tolerate that. “Yes, we may have opportunities to create better and more robust jobs, but then the offside of that will be, it will probably create a little more elevated inflation in the short run.”
Trump’s deportation policy is occurring at the same time the president is imposing tariffs on major U.S. trade partners. The president has slapped 20% tariffs on China. He has paused tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods that are compliant with the deal that governs trade in North America. But Trump is threatening what he calls “reciprocal tariffs” in April.
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