Porsche’s new Cayenne EV will charge wirelessly with 90% efficiency

New Delhi: For years, carmakers have teased wireless charging for electric cars but never really delivered. That may finally change with Porsche. The German automaker has confirmed that its upcoming all-electric Cayenne will be the first production EV to come with an optional inductive charging system, a technology that until now has mostly been stuck in the prototype stage.

The move means Cayenne owners will no longer have to wrangle heavy cables in their garage. Instead, they can simply park their SUV over a floor pad and the car will automatically align itself to start charging. Porsche says the system delivers up to 11kW of charging power, which is on par with many wired AC setups.

At the heart of Porsche’s setup is a single flat charging plate that sits on the ground. Unlike most other solutions, it doesn’t require a wall-mounted control box. The plate houses a transmitter coil that creates a magnetic field when alternating current flows through it. A receiver coil in the Cayenne’s underbody then converts this into direct current, which goes into the battery.

The car even lowers itself slightly when parked to improve alignment and efficiency. Energy transfer is said to be around 90 percent, a figure that makes it competitive with traditional home charging. Safety systems include motion detectors and object recognition that pause charging if something gets between the car and the plate.

Industry analysts have pointed out that around three-quarters of Porsche EV charging happens at home. That makes a contactless solution particularly useful for buyers who value convenience. Porsche board member for development Michael Steiner stated that ease of use and charging infrastructure remain key to EV acceptance, and the company believes inductive charging at home will make the process more practical.

The charging pad itself is fairly compact at 117 cm long, 78 cm wide, and 6 cm tall. It weighs around 50 kg and is weatherproof, so it can be installed in garages, carports, or even open driveways. TÜV Süd has reportedly tested the system and certified it for safety standards in both Europe and the US.

The Cayenne Electric is expected to debut at the end of 2025, with sales beginning soon after. The wireless charging plate, however, will only be available from 2026, sold via Porsche Centres and the company’s online shop. At launch, Europe will be the first market, followed by global rollout.

Porsche isn’t ignoring long-distance travel either. The Cayenne will also support up to 400kW DC fast charging, placing it among the quickest-charging SUVs in its class. That means drivers can still rely on Porsche’s charging lounges for rapid top-ups during road trips.

While Tesla and others have shown prototypes of similar setups, Porsche looks set to be the first carmaker to actually put this into customer hands. For enthusiasts, that’s significant because it could mark a turning point in how EVs are charged at home.

From smartphones to toothbrushes, inductive charging has quietly become part of daily life. If Porsche’s Cayenne Electric manages to replicate that simplicity in the EV world, it could well set a benchmark for the rest of the industry.