Wireless Charging A 2026 Porsche Cayenne Electric

Yes, it's still a prototype, but Porsche is finally letting people experience what it's next electric car will be like when it hits production next year. We got a briefing on the underpinnings of the new architecture for the Cayenne Electric, peeked at the very fancy finalized interior, and experienced a few hot laps being driven by one of Porsche's professional drivers.

However, the highlight was, oddly, none the above, it was getting to try out the Cayenne Electric's party trick and experience exactly how Porsche's wireless charging system works for the EV, and how ridiculously similar the process is to plonking your phone down on a Qi charging puck.

Reminiscent of BMW's 3.2-kilowatt 2018 attempt, this new wireless version from Porsche is finally fit for purpose because it can charge at the rates you get from EV home wall chargers—up to 11 kW. This means that just by rolling over the 50-kilogram floor pad, owners will be able to get a full charge on the electric SUV in 11 hours or so, brimming the 108-kWh battery overnight with no need to physically plug in. (Porsche covered a portion of my travel expenses to come see this in action.)

But how do you line up over that floor pad and get it in just the right spot to start charging when you can't see the black slab when, as you roll toward the pad, it disappears out of your line of sight? Porsche has naturally sought to use the cabin central screen that flicks to camera feed overlaid with red and green lines for guidance, plus a green circle to help you aim for that 11-kW charging sweet spot.

The car offers visual guides to get you into the proper position.

If you move the steering wheel on approach, the green lines move correspondingly on the central screen, which is split to show both a forward camera feed and a generated overhead view. (This is adapted from the car's Surround View parking function.) Once you're within spitting distance of the charger's ideal position, a solid green target appears on the overhead feed. Your job is then to corral the green circle onto this marker.

Once all is in place, the car takes over, applying the parking brake and starting the charge without you pressing a button. The transfer of energy between pad and car takes place over a distance of a few centimeters, which the Cayenne itself sets by lowering automatically to the correct height. The whole setup can be used both inside and outside, so Porsche's wireless charging isn't dependent on garage space.

But, for conce

Source: Wired