Porsche Macan EV vs. Tesla Model Y: Apples-to-Apples or Apples-to-Oranges?
By Edward A. Sanchez — Jan. 29, 2024
Last week, Porsche unveiled the highly anticipated version of its Macan EV. Following the success of the Taycan, expectations are high for the success of the brand’s mid-size SUV offering. Size-wise, comparisons with the world’s current best-selling car, the Tesla Model Y, are inevitable. There are definitely some similarities, and possibly some cross-shopping. But much like the Taycan is not a direct competitor to the Model S, neither is the Macan to the Model Y.
So how do the Macan EV and Model Y compare? Let’s find out…
Performance: Advantage – Macan
It shouldn’t be a great surprise that the top-trim Turbo (the appellation of ICE terms to EVs is a whole other discussion) Macan has a performance edge over the Model Y Performance. But the edge is not as overwhelming as you might think. The official specifications for the Macan EV Turbo are 630 hp, 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds, and a top speed of 161 mph. The specs for the Model Y Performance are between 455-600+ hp (depending on your source of information. Tesla doesn’t list official output ratings), 0-60 in between 3.5-3.7 seconds, and a top speed of 155 mph.
Range: Advantage – Unknown
Porsche has not yet released EPA range estimates for the Macan EV. But it absolutely has a larger, higher-capacity battery pack. 100 kWh (90-95 kWh useable), versus 82 kWh (75 kWh useable). The recently updated range on the Model Y is between 310-285 miles (Dual/Performance).
Price: Advantage – Model Y
A fully equipped Model Y Performance, not factoring in rebates, tax credits, but including destination and the Full-Self-Drive option, is $73,039. Keeping up with Tesla’s near-constant price changes can be an exercise in futility, but that’s the going rate at the time of this writing. The base Macan EV, with performance more comparable to the Dual-Motor (non-Performance) Model Y, is $80,450, including a $1,650 destination fee. The comparable Dual Motor Model Y (including FSD) is $63,990. The Macan EV Turbo’s starting price is $106,950 including destination. Although as is customary with Porsches, the price can crest $150,000 with options.
Prestige: Advantage – Macan
Although Tesla is still considered a “Premium” brand by most metrics, in the relative pecking order of prestige, Porsche is considered more premium by most. Certainly, by virtue of its ubiquity already as the world’s best-selling car, even if the Macan EV is a runaway sales hit, it will likely never reach the volume of the Model Y. But Porsche probably has no aspirations for it to compete with the Model Y in that measure. Leave it to the Volkswagen ID.4 and Audi Q4 e-tron to battle it out for volume sales.
Is the new Porsche Macan EV a Tesla Model Y killer? In some aspects, probably. In others, definitely not.
Significance: Advantage – Model Y
While the Macan EV may ultimately be Porsche’s best-selling model, it does not – and never will – have the same level of impact on the automotive industry at large as the Model Y already has. That is no disrespect to Porsche. But it’s hard to argue that the structural battery pack and mega castings that that Model Y pioneered have not shaken up the automotive industry globally.
Whatever you may think of Elon Musk as a person, there is little disputing that Tesla has had a tectonic impact on the global auto industry, with the Model Y in particular shaking up the industry from Shanghai to Stuttgart to Detroit. The Macan will undoubtedly be successful in its own right. But the Model Y is the one that business and engineering school case studies will be written about for decades to come.
(Images courtesy Porsche and Tesla)
