When Porsche unveiled the original Cayenne, purists were enraged by the company's decision to introduce an SUV to the range. But as the past two decades have shown us, it's the best thing Porsche could have done as a business. Over the years, it has been joined by the Panamera sedan, the smaller Macan SUV, and the electric Taycan models. They may not be as iconic as the 911 sports car, but these vehicles have all contributed significantly to the brand's bottom line.

In Europe, for example, 40% of Porsche sales come from electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids. Unsurprisingly, it's the Cayenne and Macan that led the charge in 2021, with 42,015 examples sold in the USA alone. As such, it would only make sense for the Zuffenhausen-based automaker to expand on its electric and SUV offerings.

"We plan to add a new luxury, all-electric SUV model to our attractive portfolio, which will roll off the production line in Leipzig," said CEO Oliver Blume at Porsche's recent Capital Markets Day. "This will further expand our position in the luxury automotive segment."

No technical details have been shared about the new model, but Blume did mention its introduction is part of Porsche's revised business model. "We are targeting the higher margin segments in particular and aim to tap into new sales opportunities in this way," said the CEO.

We already know that a Macan EV is on the way and the next-generation 718 twins will adopt battery power. But the introduction of a range-topping electric SUV makes a lot of sense. This segment is very popular at the moment, with vehicles such as the BMW iX, Audi e-tron, and Tesla Model X enjoying great popularity. But as Blume alludes, the newcomer may be positioned in the segment above these aforementioned models.

There's a possibility that Porsche may want to rival vehicles such as the Mercedes EQS SUV and EQG (price-wise, at least). We expect it would be a lot bigger than the Cayenne as well - perhaps Porsche will use this opportunity to offer a seven-seater?

Of course, this is all speculation for now. When it arrives, it could utilize the MLB Evo platform which underpins the e-tron, and vehicles like the Bentayga and Cayenne. Then again, it could also be based on a reworked J1 platform, currently used by the Taycan and e-tron GT. Whatever the case may be, we expect the newcomer to boast styling worthy of its status, a luxurious interior, and plenty of performance.

As with the Taycan, it's likely to arrive with several electric motor options. We'd expect a "Turbo S" derivative with up to 750 horsepower and 774 lb-ft of torque. As Porsche notes, industry trends indicate that SUVs and electric vehicles are set to be the biggest growth drivers in the coming years. "We are very well positioned to benefit from these trends. Porsche is a leading player in the market for sporty SUVs and in the all-electric luxury car segment," said company CFO Lutz Meschke.