Dubai is a city that embodies dynamism and technological progress like few others. This is where the Cayenne Electric is making its first public appearance – after proving its ability to handle terrain off the beaten track beyond the city limits.
Test sites: the Arabian Desert
Just an hour's drive outside the city begins one of the most challenging test sites in the world: the Arabian Desert. Here, during its testing, the Cayenne Electric impressively demonstrated how E-Performance can take the off-road experience to a new level – especially when it comes to the traditional part of the product requirements for every generation of Cayenne: ‘dune surfing’.
“The Cayenne Electric drives like a much lighter vehicle in the dunes,” says Michael Schätzle, Vice President Product Line Cayenne. “This ease of handling surprised even us. Especially in situations with low speeds and large steering angles, the Cayenne Electric demonstrates a level of control that we have never experienced in this form before."
City performance and desert prowess
On the road, the Cayenne Electric offers the driving dynamics of a sports car and the comfort of a sedan. Off-road, it demonstrates the uncompromising off-road capability that has been at the core of the model series since its market launch in 2002. During test drives in the dunes with fine powder sand, gradients of more than 25 degrees and temperatures beyond the 40-degree mark, the SUV impressed with its precise, instantly available power.
A key factor in this is the new drive system that, in the Cayenne Turbo, generates up to 850 kW (1,156 PS) and 1,500 Nm of torque. The low inertia of the electric motors, together with the ‘Sand’ off-road driving mode and the sensitive accelerator pedal, ensures precise control of the power. “This makes it much easier to make optimal use of the necessary 'target slip' for maximum grip on loose surfaces,” explains Schätzle. The camouflaged prototypes of the Cayenne Electric completed desert testing on standard summer tyres – and with different chassis systems. The standard Adaptive Air Suspension with PASM impressed with its high level of off-road capability. When equipped with this system, the Cayenne Electric’s ground clearance can be increased by 55 millimetres to up to 245 mm at the dedicated off-road ride-height.
For the Cayenne Turbo, the optional Porsche Active Ride significantly increases traction even further. "The body is virtually suspended in the air," says Schätzle. "Unevenness is compensated for directly at the wheel so that the body remains still and the wheel load varies less." This ensures noticeably greater control, especially in deep sand.
Technology for maximum traction and temperature control
The impressive off-road capabilities of the Cayenne Electric are ensured by numerous innovations and equipment features:
- Porsche Traction Management (ePTM): the electronically controlled all-wheel drive system works about five times faster than conventional systems and supports all off-road modes (sand, gravel, mud, rocks).
- Offroad Package: increased approach angle of up to 25 degrees, modified lower front section, reinforced side skirts with skid plates, and horizontal cooling air flaps for additional air supply.
- New battery cooling strategy: for the first time, two cooling plates are used per module, which efficiently regulate the temperature of the 113 kWh high-voltage battery from above and below.
- Direct oil cooling: motorsport technology for a long-lasting, sustained high power output from the electric motor on the rear axle of the Cayenne Turbo.
- Adaptive Air Suspension with PASM: ground clearance increased to up to 245 mm at the dedicated off-road ride height.
- Porsche Active Ride (optional for Cayenne Turbo): the premium active suspension almost completely compensates for body movements – for stability and traction even in demanding dune landscapes.
- Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus): the combination of electronically controlled differential lock and targeted braking interventions on the rear axle of the Turbo model improves traction, stability and lateral dynamics – particularly effective even on loose surfaces.
"Enter Electric!“
The Volkswagen Group invites you to find out much more about electromobility with a cross-brand communication campaign. You can find more information about electromobility at Porsche on this Newsroom microsite.
