Porsche provided flights from Albany to Barcelona and accommodation so Ars could drive a prototype Cayenne Electric. Ars does not accept paid editorial content.
Curved displays in cars are increasingly common, adding a bit of shape to the increasing pixel overload we face behind the steering wheel. The designers of Porsche's upcoming Cayenne Electric, though, decided to do something more dramatic with the touchscreen that commands the center of the forthcoming SUV's dashboard.
Its shape flows between dashboard and center console in a smooth, organic way, with a pronounced bend in the middle. The first time I dragged my finger from top to bottom, traversing that kink, I decided I was going to hate this layout. But a day behind the wheel of a prototype version of Porsche's electric SUV changed my mind. I was left wondering why nobody has used this shape.
That was just one feature out of dozens that impressed in this SUV that promises somewhere north of 1,000 horsepower (745 kW) and something in excess of 300 miles (482 km) of range on a charge. It won't hit dealerships until sometime next year, but early impressions are that it will be worth the wait.
Intro to Cayenne
Porsche has camouflaged the EV prototype; don't expect the headlights or taillights to look like this. Credit: Tim Stevens
Porsche introduced the Cayenne in 2002 to global controversy. It was an SUV from a sports car company at a time when premium SUVs were still a rarity. In the decades since, it's earned respect thanks to its on-road performance and off-road capability.
The upcoming Cayenne Electric, which won't hit the market until next year, looks set to raise both bars in a big way. There will be three flavors of electric Cayenne, with the base SUV joined by the sportier Cayenne S and sportiest Cayenne Turbo.
Porsche hasn't finalized power output from those models, but engineers at the event told me to expect that the top-shelf trim will offer something north of 1,000 hp. That could make this Porsche's most powerful production machine yet, depending on how it compares to the Taycan Turbo GT.