LEIPZIG, Germany—Porsche is synonymous with sports cars in which the engine lives behind the driver. From the company's first open-top 356/1—which it let us drive a couple of years ago—to the latest stupendously clever 911 variants, these are the machines most of us associate with the Stuttgart-based brand. And indeed, the company has sold more than a million 911s since the model's introduction in 1963. But here's the bald truth: It's the SUVs that keep the lights on. Without their profit, there would be no money to develop the next T-Hybrid or GT3. The first Cayenne was introduced just 23 years ago; since then, Porsche has sold more than 1.5 million of them. And the next one will be electric.
Of course, this won't be Porsche's first electric SUV. That honor goes to the electric Macan, which is probably becoming a more common sight on the streets in more well-heeled neighborhoods. Like the Macan, the Cayenne Electric is based on Volkswagen Group's Premium Platform Electric, but this is no mere scaled-up Macan.
"It's not just a product update; it's a complete new chapter in the story," said Sajjad Khan, a member of Porsche's management board in charge of car IT.
