Porsche are pronouncing their new, second generation Panamera as the world’s first plug-in hybrid luxury car. The Panamera S E-Hybrid gets 310 kW of power and sits alongside two luxurious, extended wheelbase versions of the Panamera 4S and Panamera Turbo. In addition to this, there is also an entirely new 3.0-litre V6 engine with new twin-turbos for added entry-level performance.
The new plug-in eco-worthiness may seem very noteworthy, but has it made any difference to the four-door performance saloon we all love to hate? Porsche say, yes. Porsche say the the new Panamera has even more expressive design thanks to tighter lines, more pronounced contours and newly shaped body elements.
Larger air intakes create a distinctive transition to the LED adorned headlights. In profile, the swept-back rear window creates an even more extended silhouette. When viewed from the back, the new Panamera is made out by its new boot lid and the rear window, which emphasises the horizontal orientation. The rear section itself was also redesigned, including a wider spoiler.
We’re not entirely convinced Porsche have restyled the Panamera enough. So, let’s return to the headline, the Panamera S E-Hybrid. The electric motor produces 70 kW, which is more than double the power of the previous model’s electric motor. It draws its energy from a newly developed lithium-ion battery, which at 9.4 kWh has over five times the 1.7 kWh energy capacity of the previous battery’s nickel metal hydride technology.
Porsche say when connected to an industrial outlet, it can be charged within around two and a half hours via the integrated on-board charger, and it can be charged in less than four hours when connected to a conventional household electrical outlet. Assuming of course that your neighbourhood isn’t experiencing some South African load-shedding.
The Panamera S E-Hybrid’s fuel consumption of 7.1 L/100 km is reduced by 56% to 3.1 L/100 km. That equates to CO2 emissions of 71 g/km. That is an astonishing figure and, at the same time, Porsche say the all-electric driving performance is substantially improved with regard to acceleration, range and top speed.
The electric driving range of the Panamera S E-Hybrid is 36 km and the Panamera can reach speeds of up to 135 km/h in pure electric drive mode. The acceleration time from a standstill to 100 km/h is 5.5 seconds. The Panamera’s top speed is 270 km/h and the parallel full hybrid concept can ‘coast’ at higher speeds. Coasting refers to free-wheeling with the internal combustion engine shut off and energy recovery through the kinetic energy of the car.
In developing the new Panamera, an entirely new engine based on the downsizing concept was built. A V6 engine with a 3.0-litre displacement and twin-turbos, replaces the previous 4.8-litre V8 engine in the Panamera S and Panamera 4S. The Panamera GTS will retain its V8 engine, but now with slightly improved power, torque and fuel consumption. While most Porsche Panamera models are equipped with the 7-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK), an 8-speed automatic Tiptronic S operates in the Panamera S E-Hybrid.
The new generation Porsche Panamera celebrates its world premiere at Auto China in Shanghai, which opens its gates on the 21st of April 2013.
