[npunt]

It was probably put there for weight distribution as Porsche would be more likely to optimize for that despite the user inconvenience it may cause

[mdekkers]

Possibly for a Carrera, but for a Cayenne? Despite the Porsche brand, that isn’t anywhere close to a sports car. The platform is shared with the Audi Q7 and the VW Touareg. It’s a tractor with nicer seats. The weight of a battery fitting under a driver seat would be similar to a big shopping run, so weight distribution wouldn’t have been a consideration.

Manufacturing logistics probably played a bigger role.