Porsche explains ePTM torque control in the Macan Electric

Porsche Newsroom explains how Macan Electric ePTM manages torque in 10 ms, with mode-based AWD logic and ride-height changes—read the details here today.

Porsche has explained why an all-wheel-drive concept the brand has long relied on takes on a new character in an electric car. The focus is Porsche Traction Management (PTM), a system designed to distribute drive torque between the axles — and, in the electric Macan, reimagined as the electronically controlled ePTM.

The company points to deep roots: Porsche links the idea back to Ferdinand Porsche’s work as early as 1900. In series production, the brand’s own all-wheel-drive philosophy has been evolving for almost four decades — and electrification now expands the system’s scope.

The key change in the Macan Electric is how the hardware is managed. In all-wheel-drive versions, two electric motors are controlled individually via power electronics, almost in real time. Porsche says the system operates around five times faster than a conventional on-demand all-wheel-drive layout and can respond to wheel slip within 10 milliseconds. In practical terms, torque distribution becomes less of a delayed reaction and more of a near-instant correction.

The strategy also shifts with the selected driving mode. In Normal, the focus is efficiency and range, so rear-wheel drive is used as often as possible. In Sport and Sport Plus, traction takes priority and the front axle is engaged more frequently. In Offroad, the Macan switches to an off-road configuration featuring a virtual longitudinal lock that limits the speed difference between the front and rear axles to improve traction. Ride height can also be adjusted: up by 20 mm, or by 40 mm in a special terrain setting.

Higher-performance versions add further tools. For the Macan Turbo, Porsche mentions Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) — an electronically controlled rear-axle differential lock that supports traction, stability, and lateral dynamics. Suspension control is handled by Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), with two-valve damper technology and an expanded damper map intended to broaden the range between comfort and performance.

Taken together, the picture is distinctly electric: where torque distribution was once limited by mechanical processes and actuator inertia, it is now shaped by power electronics and precise motor control. Based on what Porsche is claiming, it suggests a clear direction — as electric models grow more powerful, fast-reacting torque management is likely to play an even larger role in both stability and the driving feel, particularly on low-grip surfaces, steep gradients, and in dynamic modes.