BHPian Red’s recently shared this with other enthusiasts: A day with the Macan EV! I am back to posting on Team BHP after a really long time. When I say long, it’s been 10 years long. A lot has happened during this time in my journey with automobiles, and while there is a lot to share, I thought of starting that with my initial impressions of the Macan EV that I got to spend some time with recently. Background:My Macan S was due for a service and I promptly contacted my Porsche dealer here in Cincinnati to schedule an appointment. Usually, the appointments are available, but getting a loaner car could be tricky sometimes. This time I was rather pleased to hear that they were able to get me a loaner, and the day/time were set for the appointment. Usually, the loaner is a Macan 2.0 ltr base, which is what I would expect, until I pulled up to drop my car for service. The appointment itself was straightforward. I had a paid maintenance plan, so the service was paid for, and then the service manager pulls up and says I got your loaner ready. He then paused to say, “You have an EV this time. You ok with that?”. I was actually craving for an EV because I was curious to know what Porsche EVs drive like. I was jumping on the inside and said “Absolutely!”. He then walks me out, and there it was standing a new base Macan RWD in white. I was expecting a 4s or a 4, but hey, this works as well. This particular car was bare bones with no options, but it looked good in flesh and after a quick “EV” you, I was ready to go. Now, before I get into discussing my impressions of the car, you will at certain points hear me comparing this to the BYD Sea Lion 7, which I got to experience in Bangalore earlier this year. I didn’t drive the car, but I had to check it out after reading about it a lot. I believe I saw the AWD Performance version in black at BYD PPS in Yelahanka, Bangalore. While these two cars are not in the same bracket, I was pleasantly surprised to find similarities, at least just from a fit/build perspective. The Macan EV in white. Looks:I must admit that the Macan EV is a handsome-looking car and is unlike any other EV SUV on the road, in my opinion. It’s got that smug, tight, and well-proportioned look and has a butch like stance. It’s a near-perfect evolution of the ICE Macan. The ICE Macan, in my opinion, still has the OG Porsche design elements, but I can’t fault this design. I kind of felt the same when I saw the SeaLion as well. Well, the sealion could be bigger in size, but just the front end can’t be missed. Both cars, when looked at from the front, have a nice design with the correct elements that will age well. The Drive: This is my first experience ever driving a born EV. All I knew was that this car is RWD, unlike my Macan S, which is AWD (but it’s mostly RWD, true to Porsche DNA). The battery was at 91% and 290 miles of range in Normal setting. I put the car into drive, and it started to move gently. I had a chance to drive this car for about 50 miles, and drove it on freeways and some street driving as well. I usually test the acceleration when I am on the ramp to the freeway, and I got one and punched the throttle down to see what it can do, and voila, this thing flies, and it builds speed very quickly. Well, I know that EVs have inherent instant torque, but just the way the car delivers the power so linearly, it just felt so ICE-like. Whereas my Macan S would do the same with a bit of turbo lag, and then you hear the pops and bangs as it picks up speed. The Macan EV just did all of that in a very sterile, clean way with not much drama. I had to tone down the speed to the limit before I got caught by the cops. On regular streets, the Macan EV did very well. I floored from a STOP sign and could visibly see that the front slipped a little (also something I see on Macan ICE). It’s overall got the power and way more than what one would need, even in this base RWD variant. Just makes me think what the Turbo variant could deliver. Steering: One of the reasons I picked the Macan S was because of the connected drive experience, and the steering calibration plays a significant role in enabling it. Porsche’s are known for their driving dynamics, and I was curious what this EV would feel like. Off the bat, the steering is considerably lighter compared to the ICE version and more easy to manage in the city, but its still direct. I never felt that the front end was disconnected. Overal,l it works and I couldn’t spot a difference. Ride and Handling I believe this car is running a 20-inch setup, and the ride is generally firm, even in the comfort setting typical to the ICE Macan. I was expecting this to be a little softer since it has air suspension, but I couldn’t tell the difference. Overall works well for paved roads, but not sure for broken roads with potholes. The handling and dynamics of the car are spot on, and this is where Porsche impresses me. They can make an SUV do things that can borderline defy physics, and that takes some engineering to do. The Macan EV sits considerably taller than the ICE version, which I liked. Over turns, it carries speed much better than the ICE version, probably due to better mass distribution. It overall felt very composed and I didn’t break a sweat taking a bend at 75 mph. Seating and Space Comfort: The front seats are wide and accommodating. They should work well for most people and you can put some crazy money into options it with a 14-way powered option. I felt similar comfort levels on the sealion but this was a very quick impression. Range, Charing, etc:I never had to charge this car, but at the time I dropped it off, I had driven about 50 miles, and the battery was around 75%. Overall, I felt it had some decent range to it. Interiors and general fit/build Interiors are very functional, and all controls are in place. It’s an ergonomically sorted car, and the driver’s information display, while not heavily customizable, has the required information. I don’t need a ton of information, and I like how Porsche has set it up. 10/10. This is a base bare bones Macan and typical to Porsche, the build is tough and no creaks, rattles, weird panel gaps, etc. However, the sealion does blow it off for the price point it comes at. To match the sealion’s full leather interior, you are shelling a considerably larger amount of money, and here I got to give it to BYD for catching up with the Germans at a fraction of the cost. Before I get into some pictures, I wanted to ponder a little on whether this is a good alternative to an ICE Macan? I think the answer is a YES! I was very skeptical about EVs killing the driving pleasure of an ICE car, but as I age, I can relate better to some attributes of this car. The ICE Macan still has the true Porsche DNA. It’s raw, the power delivery is very unique, and the character is very unlike any other car I have driven in the past. However, the Macan EV is almost there, and it just polishes that experience so much in a lot of places that the ICE Macan lacks, and overall, if range anxiety and battery degradation were not a concern, I would definitely consider picking one up. Now here are some pictures. I will fondly miss this car, but I am grateful that I had a chance to experience it. The LED’s followed by the headlamp unit below. Very well executed design. Here you can see how the bonnet overlaps onto the LED unit. Its a subtle design element. The ADAS unit located below the grille. FRUNK seems decent in space. Note the absence of any insulation. Hydraulic struts in action. Decent wheels, but there are better ones if you have money to shell! Rear seats are very cramped and not suitable for long drives. Notice the beige color option. Macan badging sitting below the flush Porsche logo. Notice the backup camera placement. You can lower the height using the buttons for easier loading. Front seating is powered but no adjustments for side bolstering Boot seems somewhat usable and comparable to ICE Macan. Note the charging kit. I do think it comes with a space saver located below. Charging socket. There is one on each side of the car. Clean rear with the connected tail lamps. Better proportioned than the ICE Macan tail lights. Frameless doors. Overall build is good but this car does not have the optional leather package (which is about 5k USD on the ICE Macan). The sealion’s door, in comparison, feels way above in fit and feel. Well designed aircon vents. AC is powerful enough. Centre console with the key physical buttons. I am glad Porsche is bringing this back, unlike the Taycan, where it’s all digital. Button feel is top notch, and again the same feel in the sealion. Typical classic Porsche steering. No complaints. Note the drive mode selector (which is an option on the ICE Macan with the Sport Chrono package) Classic dashboard with the right-sized screen. No information feels cluttered and has to give to Porsche here on sa ensible choice of screen (which apparently is no longer valid with the curved screen coming soon on the Cayenne EV) Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
