[weber]

I’m optimistic about EV technology and excited for its potential, but electricity might not be the only fuel source moving cars in the future. Even today, we have a handful of alternatives like hydrogen, natural gas, LPG, and eFuels. It takes time for the public to adapt to these new changes, but I do wonder why Porsche didn't introduce a hybrid (HEV) version of the Macan. Considering they’ve already successfully implemented hybrids in the Cayenne line, it feels like skipping HEVs and going straight to EVs is a bold move—maybe even a risky one.
Many current Macan customers, myself included, may not be fully ready to transition to an all-electric vehicle (EV) for various reasons. If I were to buy an electric Macan, I’d plan to keep it for 7-8 years. But what worries me is the cost and accessibility of maintenance. Porsche dealer service prices are already insanely high, and it’s going to be challenging to find independent mechanics willing to work on EVs once the warranty expires, even more to purchase extended warranty. So, where would I go for repairs (except dealer) if something goes wrong?
I’ve been following the conversation on German Porsche forums too, and there seems to be a lot of concern about how well the electric Macan will sell. It seems like Porsche might face some real trouble if the Macan EV doesn’t sell well, and jumping straight into EVs without offering ICE or hybrid options could backfire. Many existing customers might not be ready to make the switch, and losing that loyal base might outweigh any new EV customers. It’s a tough gamble for sure! On the other hand, Porsche been in business for many many years, they make great cars, and I am certain there are good reasons behind decisions to drop certain models and replace with EVs.

 

[drjohnf8]

The Macan EV simply won't sell well. I'd put money on it. They are >$202k for the Turbo in Canada which is far too expensive. The Tayan sales worldwide are down 50% from an already existing fraction of sales that had been hoped for. These vehicle are not vehicles to "own". They are basically "3 year appliances that you lease".

Despite that, Porsche Canada's lease rate is 8.99% which is very high considering the current prime rate. Porsche is also estimating a residual value on the leases that are wildly optimistic and nowhere near the expected and historic 50% depreciation that all EV's face.

I think that it is a foregone conclusion that Porsche will walk back on their plans to EV their best selling vehicles - much like Audi/Chev/Ford/Mercedes have had to do.

The car companies basically believed the left-wing governments that forced them to play nice with a fictitious future that the governments all failed to manifest, mostly due to incompetence. A smarter move would have been what Toyota did....tell the various governments to FO and then invest in hybrid tech instead of EV tech.

The Cayenne ICE and hybrid will keep Porsche's lifeblood flowing.....but only as long as the board members take the time to tell Oliver Blume to get back to the drawing board and make more great Hybrids (which they have already started to do).

 

[grim]

.....but only as long as the board members take the time to tell Oliver Blume to get back to the drawing board and make more great Hybrids (which they have already started to do).

Stockholders already told him that

Porsche stockholders are not happy

6/7/24

Porsche’s EV Targets Face Investor Pushback Over Slowdown

Porsche AG shareholders are calling on the luxury-car maker to ease off its electric-vehicle push as a global slowdown for the technology threatens sales and profits.

At the company’s annual shareholder meeting on Friday, Chief Executive Officer Oliver Blume was asked why he’s sticking with a goal for plug-in Porsches to account for more than half of sales next year. Rivals including Mercedes-Benz Group AG are walking backtheir EV ambitions due to poor demand.

They responded

Porsche posts strong second quarter with a 17 percent return on sales – and a robust first six months of 2024

Porsche AG achieved stronger results in the second quarter of 2024 than in the previous quarter and is reporting robust financial figures for the first half-year.

newsroom.porsche.com

As the transformation to electromobility is developing very differently around the world, we have already started to recalibrate and reprioritize projects and products with regard to ICE technology.” Part of the strategy is retaining the greatest possible flexibility in the production of the different types of powertrains. Porsche continues to focus on three powertrain types: all-electric vehicles, efficient plug-in hybrids and exhilarating ICE engines.

 

[Joyride22]

I have reached a conclusion. I am driving a 22 Macan GTS and it is the best car I have ever owned. Next year I will have it for 3 years and it is still like new. Parked inside, no issues whatsoever (except some minor stuff), great driving experience. I was used to renew my cars every 3 - 4 years in the past, so I feel the itch to know what will come next. Given the excellent condition of my Macan GTS, I will continue to drive it. Not forever, but longer than I have been owning cars in the past. I was confused because the electric Macan is a complete nogo for me and the first user reports are even worse than what I expected. Not my problem. At the same time, I cannot imagine to leave Porsche and so my potential new car would be a Cayenne S Coupé. Many people cannot really distinguish the Macan from the Cayenne Coupé anyway, hence I know what I would do in case I had to. The Cayenne S Coupé would give me comparable performance to the Macan GTS and it has a V8 engine that must be a hoot to drive. Just the feeling that I didn't know what to do if some dude crashed my car was a strange feeling. I hope it will never happen and I will be fine with my car for the time to come. But now I made my peace with Porsche's Macan strategy. Although I still prefer the Macan dimensions and shape over the Cayenne. But here we go. We must move on and let go. Good luck electric Macan, I stop pondering over it and know what to do in case I needed to take a decision.

 

[tmrqs]

I was confused because the electric Macan is a complete nogo for me and the first user reports are even worse than what I expected.

Would you mind sharing what are these “first user reports” that are “worse than what [you] expected”?

 

[Joyride22]

Would you mind sharing what are these “first user reports” that are “worse than what [you] expected”?

I've gathered feedback from various sources including a Porsche dealer, Porsche forums, general e-mobility debates, and this forum. Here are my thoughts:

Range and "Range Anxiety"
Range "anxiety" feels like a misleading term; it is more about range reality. Anxiety suggests there’s nothing to worry about, but in this case, it’s grounded in reality. German eMacan owners report ranges between 280 and 350 km (175 - 220 miles), significantly lower than Porsche's claim of "almost 400 miles". Forum users argue that achieving the advertised range would require ideal conditions—no air resistance, perfect temperatures (no lower than 20°C/68°F), no rain, no snow, and smooth road conditions. Real-world (RW) range, from various accounts, is roughly 50-60% of Porsche's claimed range.

This discrepancy is further exacerbated by regulations forcing manufacturers to report realistic ranges and consumption for ICE cars, while EV ranges appear significantly overestimated.

Residual Value
Porsche’s strength lies in its reliability and strong residual values, even for non-classic models like the Macan and Cayenne. However, this doesn't translate well in the EV world. No matter the build quality, EVs tend to lose value rapidly as newer, improved models emerge—similar to iPhones. If the battery is damaged, the car could be a total economic loss with no viable second-hand market, making ownership financially impossible. Leasing may mitigate some depreciation, but it isn’t fundamentally different from shouldering heavy depreciation plus interest.

Charging Infrastructure
While I believe the charging infrastructure will eventually meet demand, there remain security concerns. The idea of waiting 30-40 minutes at a remote charger on a dark, winter night is troubling. I've personally witnessed a young woman charging her Tesla in such conditions, and it struck me as unsafe.

Primary Vehicle Suitability
Our Macan serves as our primary vehicle, a role an EV cannot currently fulfill for us. A secondary, city-vehicle could be electric, but this doesn’t fully mitigate the concerns mentioned above.

Weight and Handling
The eMacan is notably heavier, weighing half a ton more than the ICE GTS. Users report that the driving experience feels artificial due to the constant intervention of stabilization systems, reducing the driver's connection to the road. Auto Motor Sport magazine describes it as "driving on rails," contrasting sharply with the more direct feel of the ICE version.

Software readiness
I saw a dozen or more Macans lined up at my dealer, preparing for delivery. However, it took them days to upload the final versions of software to be ready. This will be fixed eventually, but it looked like one of the key elements of an EV was highly unfit and required updating until the buyer takes the key (and afterwards...).

Trip Planning
The need to plan routes, charging points, and ranges for trips longer than 180 miles is not an attractive "lifestyle" feature to me. While your smartphone can assist, I don’t want to manage such logistics. Currently, I don't have to, so promoting this capability as a benefit of EVs doesn’t make me feel it's an advantage.

These are my personal views. Of course, there are many users who love their eMacans and don't mind the electric car conditions and limitations. Good luck to them. However, I am not ready yet under the current conditions. Governments, by forcing the industry into immature tech, have removed choices. This approach might not work out, and there are millions of jobs at stake.

 

[slw23]

I've gathered feedback from various sources including a Porsche dealer, Porsche forums, general e-mobility debates, and this forum. Here are my thoughts:

Range and "Range Anxiety"
Range "anxiety" feels like a misleading term; it is more about range reality. Anxiety suggests there’s nothing to worry about, but in this case, it’s grounded in reality. German eMacan owners report ranges between 280 and 350 km (175 - 220 miles), significantly lower than Porsche's claim of "almost 400 miles". Forum users argue that achieving the advertised range would require ideal conditions—no air resistance, perfect temperatures (no lower than 20°C/68°F), no rain, no snow, and smooth road conditions. Real-world (RW) range, from various accounts, is roughly 50-60% of Porsche's claimed range.

This discrepancy is further exacerbated by regulations forcing manufacturers to report realistic ranges and consumption for ICE cars, while EV ranges appear significantly overestimated.

Residual Value
Porsche’s strength lies in its reliability and strong residual values, even for non-classic models like the Macan and Cayenne. However, this doesn't translate well in the EV world. No matter the build quality, EVs tend to lose value rapidly as newer, improved models emerge—similar to iPhones. If the battery is damaged, the car could be a total economic loss with no viable second-hand market, making ownership financially impossible. Leasing may mitigate some depreciation, but it isn’t fundamentally different from shouldering heavy depreciation plus interest.

Charging Infrastructure
While I believe the charging infrastructure will eventually meet demand, there remain security concerns. The idea of waiting 30-40 minutes at a remote charger on a dark, winter night is troubling. I've personally witnessed a young woman charging her Tesla in such conditions, and it struck me as unsafe.

Primary Vehicle Suitability
Our Macan serves as our primary vehicle, a role an EV cannot currently fulfill for us. A secondary, city-vehicle could be electric, but this doesn’t fully mitigate the concerns mentioned above.

Weight and Handling
The eMacan is notably heavier, weighing half a ton more than the ICE GTS. Users report that the driving experience feels artificial due to the constant intervention of stabilization systems, reducing the driver's connection to the road. Auto Motor Sport magazine describes it as "driving on rails," contrasting sharply with the more direct feel of the ICE version.

Software readiness
I saw a dozen or more Macans lined up at my dealer, preparing for delivery. However, it took them days to upload the final versions of software to be ready. This will be fixed eventually, but it looked like one of the key elements of an EV was highly unfit and required updating until the buyer takes the key (and afterwards...).

Trip Planning
The need to plan routes, charging points, and ranges for trips longer than 180 miles is not an attractive "lifestyle" feature to me. While your smartphone can assist, I don’t want to manage such logistics. Currently, I don't have to, so promoting this capability as a benefit of EVs doesn’t make me feel it's an advantage.

These are my personal views. Of course, there are many users who love their eMacans and don't mind the electric car conditions and limitations. Good luck to them. However, I am not ready yet under the current conditions. Governments, by forcing the industry into immature tech, have removed choices. This approach might not work out, and there are millions of jobs at stake.

With all due respect, nothing you wrote above has anything to do with "first user reports are even worse than what I expected." Rather, they are the same arguments against all EVs. Valid concerns no doubt, but let's not conflate opinions about EVs in general with "first user reports" of the Macan EV.

 

[grim]

With all due respect, nothing you wrote above has anything to do with "first user reports are even worse than what I expected." Rather, they are the same arguments against all EVs. Valid concerns no doubt, but let's not conflate opinions about EVs in general with "first user reports" of the Macan EV.

Here are actual "first user reports" being tracked. Most problems look like sw problems to me

Issues Reported List for Macan EV Electric

If it would be helpful, I would like to collect in this discussion records of problems described by users up to the date given in the title: Area / thread link Issue Region User Cause Fix Air Conditioning no cooling is provided. US @n4v4nod No freon installed Freon filled (200->1200g +...

www.macanevowners.com

 

[Joyride22]

With all due respect, nothing you wrote above has anything to do with "first user reports are even worse than what I expected." Rather, they are the same arguments against all EVs. Valid concerns no doubt, but let's not conflate opinions about EVs in general with "first user reports" of the Macan EV.

Feedback taken 👍
I mixed my opinion into driver impressions and went a bit too far. Admittedly, my disappointment stems from the (apparent) fact that even Porsche cannot overcome most of the general EV limitations.

 

[BayAreaMacan]

I visited my local dealership yesterday and had a chance to test drive the base Macan EV (it was the only version available). I like the design and the technology, but the ride left a lot to be desired. Coming from a traditional ICE Macan, the driving experience was... underwhelming. To be fair, I think this is more of an EV characteristic than a Porsche-specific issue. But it does make me wonder how well it will resonate with consumers who enjoy the visceral feel of an engine. As the shift to electric continues, I’m curious if Porsche can integrate tech that makes the driving experience more engaging. This base model was priced at $85k, which seems like it could deter a lot of potential Macan buyers. While I’m cautiously optimistic that Porsche will improve the driving dynamics over time, in my opinion, the cost doesn't quite justify the experience...yet.

 

[noro]

There is a brand new Macan Turbo EV up on bringatrailer right now, I am curious what the market says in the few days when the auction is over.

2024 Porsche Macan Turbo Electric

Bid for the chance to own a 2024 Porsche Macan Turbo Electric at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #175,387.

bringatrailer.com

 

[big c]

I drove my other / fun car last weekend and spent about 30 minutes cruising near a new EV 4. Have to admit, it looked pretty good in person! I would put it on my test drive list if I was in the market for an electric or hybrid SUV.

 

[trusted]

There is a brand new Macan Turbo EV up on bringatrailer right now, I am curious what the market says in the few days when the auction is over.

2024 Porsche Macan Turbo Electric

Bid for the chance to own a 2024 Porsche Macan Turbo Electric at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #175,387.

bringatrailer.com

How did they manage to get creases and dents into the seats in only 86 miles?
Very interested to see what happens with that one.
What are the thoughts on final bid? I say high bid $105K and reserve not met.

 

[trusted]

I say high bid $105K and reserve not met.

Wow was I wrong. $88,500 bid and reserve of course not met. Yikes!

 

[noro]

These higher end EV cars are definitely not a wise place to stuff your money into. 26% price drop 86 miles later... wow.

 

[Joyride22]

These higher end EV cars are definitely not a wise place to stuff your money into. 26% price drop 86 miles later... wow.

I share your view. What are they thinking? It needs to be a fair deal and the producers must own their part of the risk. Ok, we talk about luxury products. But does it mean that consumers switch off their brains? If you look at the Porsche stock and their current downsizing exercise, I’d say no. Taycan shifts are dramatically reduced, they might even take it away from Stuttgart to get Leipzig to (sort of) full capacity. This in turn tells us that the Macan doesn’t fly either. Customer experience matters. Those who ignore it pay the price. I am not making any donations to a company that got their bets so wrong. Customers decide. No attractive offer, no deal.

 

[TigerMac]

...not gone for 27% off list...me wonder about its real value?

 

[RidgeRunner0207]

The Feds just crushed the CA-EV Mandate via legislation...................actual law...............not an EO.................so we will see how the EV markets go especially with the Feds also killing the $7500 EV Tax credit.

Porsche IMHO is making a huge mistake killing off ICE models, but its their decision.