Porsche Teases Cayenne EV at Historic Hill Climb Ahead of the SUV’s Reveal
An electric Cayenne will be sold alongside the gas-powered SUV starting next year, and Porsche teased the EV by sending it up a long-running hill climb race.
Porsche brought a camouflaged prototype of the Cayenne Electric to a historic English hill climb, giving us a clearer look at its smooth bodywork.
The Cayenne Electric will be fitted with Porsche Active Ride, which keeps the body level when blasting through corners or braking hard.
Porsche also said the Cayenne Electric will be able to tow up to 7716 pounds.
Porsche has been hard at work on an electric version of its popular Cayenne SUV, which is expected to arrive at some point in 2026 and will exist alongside the gas-powered Cayenne for the time being. Now, Porsche has shared the first official look at the Cayenne EV, taking the electric SUV to the long-running Shelsley Walsh hill climb in England and publishing a series of photos of the new EV in camouflage.
porsche cayenne electric
Porsche
The Shelsley Walsh hill climb has been running since 1905, and Porsche brought the Cayenne Electric prototype to compete in the historic event with Porsche Formula E development driver Gabriela Jílková behind the wheel. Porsche described the prototype as “near-production,” suggesting that the bodywork is basically in its final form. The Cayenne Electric sports classic Porsche styling, with a large grille in the lower bumper and high-mounted headlights. The rounded body concludes with chunky rectangular taillights and a slight slope to the roofline.
The automaker says Jílková beat the previous record time for an SUV by over four seconds in her first run up the hill and divulged a few key details about the Cayenne Electric that helped it scoot up the incline with ease. One is Porsche Active Ride, the brand’s trick suspension system that keeps the body level during acceleration, steering, and braking. Porsche also promises a potent powertrain, noting that the summer-tire-shod Cayenne Electric covered the first 180 feet in 1.94 seconds, which it says is a result typically reserved for single-seat race cars on slick tires at the event.
porsche cayenne electric
Porsche
As part of a film project tied to the hill climb, former Top Gear and Grand Tour host Richard Hammond used the Cayenne Electric to haul a century-old Lagonda, with Porsche claiming a towing capacity for the EV of up to 7716 pounds. Porsche confirmed that the Cayenne Electric and standard Cayenne—which is offered with gas-only and hybrid powertrains—will be sold together “well into the next decade.” The camo’d Cayenne Electric will make its next appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed later this week, and we expect a full debut either late this year or early next year.
