Everyone knows that electric cars are heavier than their regular internal combustion engined counterparts, and that would most definitely be the case for the upcoming electric Porsche Cayenne too. But Porsche says that still shouldn’t compromise on driving dynamics, and to quash the detractors’ concerns, they brought a camouflaged prototype to the Shelsley Walsh hill climb to prove just how well it drives.
Piloted by TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team simulator and development driver, Gabriela Jílková, the camouflaged electric Cayenne prototype managed to conquer the hill climb in just 31.28 seconds — beating the previous record for an SUV by more than four seconds.
The achievement was in part thanks to the impressive acceleration of the car. In fact, the prototype managed to cross the first measuring point of the hill climb, 60 feet (18.3 metres) beyond the starting line, in just 1.94 seconds – a time typically only possible in open-wheeled one-seater racecars using slick tyres. The electric Cayenne prototype did it in conventional summer tyres.
To help with its handling, the electric Cayenne prototype was also equipped with Porsche Active Ride, an active chassis system set to feature in future Porsche SUVs. According to Porsche, the system keeps the body level at all times, whether in braking, steering, or accelerating, ensuring better connection to the road through balanced wheel load distribution.
Porsche assures that the tuning of the car will be what customers are getting when it eventually launches, and that it is “already at production level”.
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Aside from driving chops, Porsche says that the electric Cayenne will also be one of the world’s first battery electric vehicles (BEV) to achieve a towing capacity of up to 3.5 tonnes. Richard Hammond, who you might know from Top Gear, demonstrated its capabilities when he used the prototype as part of a film shoot to transport a classic car from his workshop in Hereford to his garage.
Together with the trailer, the load weighed in a total of roughly three tonnes, yet the Cayenne Electric towed it without issue. Hammond said, “We were trailing significant weight behind us, but you wouldn’t know it — the Cayenne handled it effortlessly.”
In case you didn’t know, the Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb has been held since 1905, making it one of the oldest active motorsport events in the world. It is an incredibly tricky track measuring 1,000 (914 metres) in length, but only spans 3.5 metres wide in certain parts of the course, and has a steep gradient of up to 16.7%.
Jílková said, “The course is challenging and does not forgive mistakes. There are no run-off zones and little room for correction. But the active suspension gives the new Cayenne enormous stability and precision. I felt completely confident at all times.”
Porsche plans to have the electric Cayenne prototype displayed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed from 10 to 13 July 2025, where it’ll join the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N to hopefully convince you that EVs can be fun too.
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