Porsche showcases Cayenne Electric Prototype on legendary Großglockner High Alpine Road

First opened to the public 90 years ago, the Großglocker High Alpine Road is an extraordinary Austrian mountain pass that weaves a winding 48-kilometre route from Fusch in the state of Salzburg to Heiligenblut am Großglockner in Carinthia. Ever since Ferry Porsche tested and developed the very first Porsche sports car – the 356 No. 1 – on this hallowed stretch of asphalt, the Großglockner has been closely intertwined with the brand.

Where electric mobility meets alpine tradition

This past weekend, the latest Porsche to venture into this idyllic slice of the Austrian Alps was a prototype of the forthcoming all-electric Cayenne, whose combination of innovative technology and electric drive brings significant leaps in performance, comfort and off-road driving capability.

The specific example that appeared on the High Alpine Road – at times amidst snow and rain – was the very same car that earlier this year thrilled crowds at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and that also took more than four seconds off the previous SUV record at the historic Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb. On those occasions, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team simulator and development driver Gabriela Jílková was behind the wheel.

At the Großglockner, Michael Schätzle took the wheel. The Vice President of the Cayenne model line put the still-camouflaged SUV through a performance test on the 14.5-kilometer stretch featuring around 27 hairpin bends, leading to the highest drivable point at the 2,571-meter-high Edelweißspitze. That’s a tradition at Porsche.

While Ferry Porsche carried out his testing programmes on the Großglockner back in the 1940s with little more than a basic tool kit, his engineering expertise, and a large dose of determination, Porsche still today conducts a broad spectrum of detailed development programmes here. Expert engineers use cutting-edge equipment to test and develop the brand’s latest models. The important work that Porsche carries out here complements the extensive global development programmes that see prototypes put through their paces in extreme environments. In addition to venturing to these exotic locations, each model must also prove its worth here on the brand’s oldest proving ground – a stone’s throw from the Porsche family’s home in Zell am See.

“Our benchmark for track performance is the Nürburgring Nordschleife,” says Schätzle. “But the Großglockner High Alpine Road is just as important to us. Every new Porsche has to prove itself here. The combination of steep elevation changes, tight hairpin bends, varying surfaces and weather conditions makes this road a perfect testing ground — especially for engines, brakes and chassis. And it has been for decades.”

Maintaining this continuity and these traditions – keeping permanently in touch with the brand’s heritage and its roots – is just one of the ways in which Porsche ensures its unique, iconic spirit is preserved and carried forward into each new model – regardless of drive type, body style or the groundbreaking technology on board.

The Cayenne Electric sets new standards

In terms of technology, the Cayenne Electric is a game-changer – a milestone in electric mobility. And this is not just in terms of its unrivalled performance and comfort in its segment – or the new benchmark it sets for the model line in terms of everyday practicality – but also with its potential for making the experience of driving an electric car even more convenient and effortless than before.

With the introduction of inductive charging technology in the all-electric Cayenne, as demonstrated at the IAA Mobility show in Munich, Porsche has become one of the first automotive manufacturers to bring wireless charging for electric vehicles to market. With rates of up to 11 kW, this innovative technology reaches the level of home AC charging, but without the need to plug in – by simply parking over the Porsche charging plate, the process begins automatically.

Season closing at FAT Mankei

As winter begins to beckon, the prototype Cayenne’s appearance on the legendary alpine road this weekend coincided with the season closing event at FAT Mankei . The brainchild of Ferdinand Porsche, grandson of Porsche’s founder and great-grandson of his namesake, the restaurant and coffee shop opened in May 2023 and has since become a community and cultural hub for automotive enthusiasts.

After a busy season opening event in June – at which visitors were able to see an array of cars from various eras of Porsche history, including the iconic road-legal Count Rossi 917 K alongside its modern tribute, the 963 RSP – and a busy summer, the venue held its annual end-of-season event on Friday and Saturday (5 and 6 September) before closing for the winter.

“The high-alpine character of FAT Mankei is a perfect match for Porsche. These cars are known for being powerful, responsive, and having excellent braking – making them ideal for alpine driving and for getting up and down safely,” says Ferdi Porsche, who, together with Michael Schätzle, experienced firsthand that this description also applies to the Cayenne Electric. “Despite its size, the Cayenne feels extremely agile and light. It drives like a true Porsche. It passed the Großglockner test!”

Between its runs up and down the Großglockner, the camouflaged Cayenne was displayed outside FAT Mankei, offering visitors the opportunity to see the exciting future of the SUV model series up close. With development of the E4 now in its latter stages, and the world premiere planned for the end of 2025, it won’t be long before customers can enjoy their own Cayenne Electric on the iconic alpine road.