Porsche reveals new Panamera plug-in hybrid

[tomo]

Panamera 4 E-Hybrid able to reach 100km/h in 4.6 sec, hit 278km/h, average 2.5L/100km

Porsche has released full details and pictures of the new plug-in hybrid version of its second-generation Panamera sedan, which was launched in Europe in Augustand goes on sale in Australia early next year.

Open for orders now priced at $242,600 plus on-road costs, the new Panamera 4 E-Hybrid is therefore $42,700 cheaper than the model it replaces and more than $60,000 more affordable than the new twin-turbo V6 Panamera 4S, making it the cheapest new Panamera available so far.

The new Panamera 4 E-Hybrid plug-in variant combines a 243kW/450Nm 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 with a 100kW/400Nm electric motor.

Combined they produce a total of 340kW/700Nm.

That's enough to see the new Porsche hybrid sprint from rest to 100km/h in just 4.6 seconds and top out at 278km/h -- all with the ability of being able to return 2.5L/100km fuel consumption in the NEDC test, while emitting just 56g/km of CO2.

Once fully charged the new Panamera 4 E-Hybrid is also claimed to have pure-electric range of up to 50km at speeds of up to 140km/h -- that's 15km further than the first-gen plug-in hybrid Panamera, and the differences don't stop there.

In the old car the electric motor would only kick in under hard acceleration but the new car is different. Off the line the plug-in hybrid relies on electric power, initially, before petrol power joins the party. The result is claimed to be a car that feels even more eager off the line thanks to the electric motor's maximum torque peak being delivered instantly.

Charging the new car is faster too. It now takes 5.8 hours to fully charge the lithium-ion batteries using the standard 3.6kW and 3.6 hours if you option the more powerful 7.2kW on-board charger.

On the road there are three driving modes -- E-Power, Sport and Sport + -- while the hybrid system can be set up to decide when to use its electric power (Hybrid Auto), if you want to save pure-electric motoring for a city later in your journey (E-Hold) or if you want to charge the battery cells using the engine (E-Charge).

Set to be launched on September 29 at the Paris motor show, the new Panamera 4 E-Hybrid arrives in European showrooms next April, with Australian deliveries due around mid-2017.