STUTTGART: The Paris Motor Show will see Porsche unveil the fourth model in the Panamera line: the with controlled all-wheel drive and an electric range of 50km.
The vehicle generates some 462hp of system power and delivers fuel consumption figures of 2.5 l/100 km in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) for plug-in hybrid models. That corresponds to CO2 emissions of 56 g/km.
The new Porsche plug-in hybrid can start in purely electric mode and drives without generating any local emissions within a range of 50km and a maximum speed of 140kph. The all-wheel drive Porsche achieves a top speed of 278kph and delivers a system torque of 700Nm from stationary without hesitation. The four-door hybrid sports car breaks the 100kph barrier in 4.6 seconds. The torque is transferred to all four wheels and the standard three-chamber air suspension ensures a balance between comfort and dynamism.
The new Panamera 4 E-Hybrid features a hybrid strategy based on the 918 Spyder. The 887hp 918 Spyder is the fastest series-produced vehicle ever to circumnavigate the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Its record lap time of 6:57 minutes can in part be attributed to the additional power provided by two electric motors.
As with the 918 Spyder, the power of the Panamera electric motor – 136hp and 400Nm torque – is made available as soon as the driver touches the accelerator pedal. On the predecessor model, the pedal needed to be pressed at least 80 per cent of the way down to unleash the additional power of the electric drive. Now, the electric motor and petrol engine interact from the very outset.
Like with the 918 Spyder, the electric motor is available to deliver additional power at all times. This, together with the performance characteristics of the new 2.9-litre V6 biturbo engine (330hp/450 Nm), generates a high boost scenario based on electric motor and turbochargers.
In the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, the electrical energy is also used to increase the car’s top speed. Together with the V6 petrol engine decoupler, the electric motor heralds the new generation of the Porsche hybrid module. In contrast to the electro-hydraulic system of the predecessor model, the decoupler on the new Panamera is actuated electromechanically by an electric clutch actuator (ECA), resulting in shorter response times.
As on the other second-generation Panamera models, a new, extremely fast and efficient-shifting Porsche eight-speed Doppelkupplung (PDK) transmission is used to transmit the power to the all-wheel drive. This transmission replaces the eight-speed automatic torque converter transmission on the predecessor model.
The electric motor is supplied with power via a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery, which is integrated under the luggage compartment floor. The high-voltage battery takes 5.8 hours to fully charge via a 230-V, 10-A connection. If the driver chooses to use the optional 7.2 kW on-board charger and a 230-V, 32-A connection instead of the standard 3.6-kW charger on the Panamera, the battery fully charges in 3.6 hours. The charging process can also be started using a timer via Porsche Communication Management (PCM). Moreover, the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid is fitted as standard with auxiliary air conditioning to cool or heat the passenger compartment during charging.
One highlight of the second-generation Panamera is the newly designed display and control concept in the form of the standard Porsche Advanced Cockpit with touch-sensitive panels and individually configurable displays. Two seven-inch screens either side of the analogue rev counter form the interactive cockpit, and, in contrast to the other versions in the model line, the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid features a power meter tailored to hybrid operation. The operating principle of the hybrid-specific displays is similar to that used in the Porsche 918 Spyder super sportscar. The power meter provides data such as the amount of electrical energy currently being used as well as that recovered through recuperation.
A 12.3-inch touchscreen functions as a central PCM control and display unit. The driver can access various items of hybrid-specific information both here on the dash and in the instrument cluster. The boost assistant and hybrid assistant are both practical and informative. The boost assistant display shows the energy available for boosting, while the hybrid assistant provides various visual signals for regulating the electrical drive power.
The Sport Chrono Package including the mode switch integrated into the steering wheel forms part of the standard equipment on the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid. The mode switch and Porsche Communication Management are used to activate the various driving modes. These modes include the familiar “Sport” and “Sport Plus” modes from the other Panamera models equipped with the Sport Chrono Package. The hybrid-specific modes are “E-Power”, “Hybrid Auto”, “E-Hold” and “E-Charge”.
The Panamera 4 E-Hybrid always starts in the purely electric “E-Power” mode. The “Hybrid Auto” mode is a completely new development. When this mode is selected, the Panamera changes and combines the drive sources automatically for ultimate efficiency.
The “E-Hold” mode allows drivers to consciously conserve the current state of charge to enable them to switch to electric and therefore zero-emissions mode in an environmental zone at their destination, for example. In “E-Charge” mode, the battery is charged by the V6 engine; to achieve this, the petrol engine generates a higher level of power than is actually needed for driving.
The highest level of drive performance is made available in the “Sport” and “Sport Plus” modes. The V6 biturbo engine is active continuously in these modes. In “Sport” mode, the battery charge is always maintained at a minimum level to ensure there are sufficient e-boost reserve capacities when needed.
“Sport Plus” mode is all about maximum performance and allows the Panamera to reach its top speed of 278 km/h. This mode also recharges the battery as quickly as possible with the help of the V6 biturbo engine.
