With so many hybrids generating so few sales in North America, one could wonder why a small manufacturer like Porsche would spend money and time developing a gas-electric powertrain.
Actually, the reasons are simple. They did it because their competitors are doing it too; they did it because the R&D is shared with Volkswagen and Audi, which splits up the associated costs nicely. Mostly, they did it because they need to set a foundation for their upcoming 918 Spyder hybrid supercar and environmentally-friendly philosophy.
The first Porsche to get such a powertrain is the 2011 Cayenne, followed by the Panamera. The S Hybrid is equipped with a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 that develops 333 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque, a 47-hp electric motor, a battery pack and an 8-speed automatic transmission with manual mode and wheel-mounted controls.
Together, super unleaded and electricity combine for a total output of 380 horses and 428 pound-feet of torque at just 1,000 rpm. In comparison, the conventional, V8-equipped Cayenne S belts out 400 ponies and 369 lb-ft.
Porsche claims a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 6.5 seconds with the hybrid, as opposed to 5.9 seconds in the regular S model. Not a big deal, although the S Hybrid’s 400-lb weight penalty can be blamed for that. Top speed also drops from 258 km/h to 242. Who cares, really?
Fuel consumption, the whole point of buying a hybrid besides being considered as an environmentally friendly person, is better than in the base V6-powered Cayenne. While the highway number is a negligible improvement (8.4 L/100 km versus 8.6), city driving is where you’ll really be saving premium fuel (10.4 L/100 km versus 12.9).
The rest is pure Cayenne. The hybrid model benefits from all the bells and whistles than the Cayenne S, minus a few optional hardcore performance gadgets like the Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) system, the Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) and the Sport Exhaust System.
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| The hybrid model retails for $77,500 before tax, freight and delivery charges, which is only $4,800 more than the conventional S. (Photo: Porsche) |
Actually, the reasons are simple. They did it because their competitors are doing it too; they did it because the R&D is shared with Volkswagen and Audi, which splits up the associated costs nicely. Mostly, they did it because they need to set a foundation for their upcoming 918 Spyder hybrid supercar and environmentally-friendly philosophy.
The first Porsche to get such a powertrain is the 2011 Cayenne, followed by the Panamera. The S Hybrid is equipped with a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 that develops 333 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque, a 47-hp electric motor, a battery pack and an 8-speed automatic transmission with manual mode and wheel-mounted controls.
Together, super unleaded and electricity combine for a total output of 380 horses and 428 pound-feet of torque at just 1,000 rpm. In comparison, the conventional, V8-equipped Cayenne S belts out 400 ponies and 369 lb-ft.
Porsche claims a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 6.5 seconds with the hybrid, as opposed to 5.9 seconds in the regular S model. Not a big deal, although the S Hybrid’s 400-lb weight penalty can be blamed for that. Top speed also drops from 258 km/h to 242. Who cares, really?
Fuel consumption, the whole point of buying a hybrid besides being considered as an environmentally friendly person, is better than in the base V6-powered Cayenne. While the highway number is a negligible improvement (8.4 L/100 km versus 8.6), city driving is where you’ll really be saving premium fuel (10.4 L/100 km versus 12.9).
The rest is pure Cayenne. The hybrid model benefits from all the bells and whistles than the Cayenne S, minus a few optional hardcore performance gadgets like the Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) system, the Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) and the Sport Exhaust System.
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| The hybrid model benefits from all the bells and whistles than the Cayenne S, minus a few optional hardcore performance gadgets. (Photo: Porsche) |