Porsche offers more style and operating range with the Coupe version of the Cayenne Electric

BARCELONA – Fuelled by the success of the 2019 original, Porsche unveiled the Cayenne Coupe Electric on April 24. Having had an early peek at the car in a cold warehouse in late March, The Straits Times can finally pull back the covers in tandem with its global debut at the Beijing Motor Show.

It is easy to be cynical about the idea of a sport utility vehicle (SUV) coupe. The concept typically involves sacrificing utility in the name of style.

However, in the electric age, the Coupe’s more slippery profile offers a tangible benefit: Compared with the more upright Cayenne SUV, the Coupe’s superior aerodynamics translate to an additional 15km of operating range.

For reference, the Cayenne Electric has an operating range of between 537km and 571km, depending on the power output.

Visually, the transition from SUV to Coupe seems more intentional and better resolved than its petrol-powered namesake, which will remain on sale alongside the electric vehicle.

Almost everything above the beltline is different from the SUV, from the aggressive rake of the windscreens to the dramatic arc of the roofline. Stare hard enough at the profile, perhaps aided by a second glass of bubbly Spanish cava, and the curvature of the Coupe’s window trim starts to resemble the iconic silhouette of the 911 sports car.

But while the 911 has always got away with “token” rear seats, the Cayenne Coupe has to function as a family car. The Coupe can be had with a two-seater rear bench or 2+1, with space for a third passenger.

Standing at 1,650mm tall, the Coupe is 24mm lower overall than the SUV, though the swooping roofline seems to impact rear headroom by a bit more than that. In reality, there is still plenty of space for average-built adults even if it feels less airy than in the SUV.

With the rear seats in place, the Coupe has 534 litres of boot space, which is slightly more than what you get in a BMW 5-series saloon (520 litres), and a good 247 litres down from the Cayenne Electric SUV’s 781 litres.

Mechanically, the Coupe is identical to the SUV version, down to the suspension set-up. Like the Cayenne Electric, the Coupe will be available in the base version with 325kW in overboost, the S with 490kW in overboost and the Turbo with 850kW in overboost.

Excluding certificate of entitlement and options, the Cayenne Coupe Electric costs $394,488, the S costs $493,388 and the Turbo costs $683,388, which is between $13,000 and $21,700 more than the SUV version.

Besides enjoying the extra style points, in the electric era, the driver can try to offset the premium with the slightly longer operating range.

Deliveries are expected to start in the second half of 2026.