Porsche had revealed the Panamera 4S, 4S Diesel and Turbo two months ago, and now the carmaker has unveiled the fourth and most technically advanced of the new Panamera models to date – the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid.
The four-wheel-drive 4 E-Hybrid is one of the two petrol-electric hybrid models planned to join the new Panamera line-up. It is powered by a newly developed petrol-electric drivetrain that is also set to appear in next year’s Cayenne E-Hybrid. It uses Porsche’s recently unveiled twin-turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 petrol engine that produces 330hp and 450Nm of torque, in combination with an electric motor mounted in the front of the gearbox that is capable of delivering up to 136hp of power and around 400Nm of torque. Together, the combustion engine and electric motor provide combined system outputs of 462hp and 699Nm.
Significantly, Porsche has altered the programming of the electric motor to provide greater emphasis on performance. It now works in tandem with the petrol engine the moment the throttle is depressed. According to Porsche, the new programming is based on that originally developed for the 918 Spyder. It allows the driver to call up additional power from the electric motor at all times. The result is a 0.9sec reduction in the 0-100kph time along with an 8.04kph increase in top speed over the first-generation Panamera S E-Hybrid that it replaces in Porsche’s line-up.
As on other second-generation Panamera models revealed to date, the drive is channeled through a new eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and multi-plate clutch four-wheel drive system. Altogether there are six different driving modes. They include the Sport and Sport Plus modes of other new Panamera models equipped with the Sport Chrono package, along with the E-Hybrid specific modes of E-power, Hybrid Auto, E-Hold and E-Charge.
With a fully charged battery, the 4 E-Hybrid is claimed to offer a pure electric range of up to 50km at speeds limited to 140kph. Power for the Panamera E-Hybrid’s electric motor is provided by a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery. Porsche says the battery can be charged in 5.8 hours using a standard 3.6kW charger, while an optional 7.2kW charger is claimed to reduce the charging time to 3.6 hours. An auxiliary air-conditioner also now allows the cabin to be cooled during charging.
A ‘power meter’ allows the driver to keep tabs of the operation of the hybrid driveline via a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen display. Similar to that found on the 918 Spyder, the meter provides detailed data on energy stores, including the amount of electrical energy being used in real time as well as that recovered through recuperation. There is also a 'boost assistant' that displays the energy available for boosting performance via the electric motor as well as a 'hybrid assistant' that provides information on how to regulate the electric drive for maximum economy.
The new Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid is set to make its public debut at the Paris motor show later this month, before going on sale in international markets in April 2017.
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Dipan Sur
Glenn Noronha
Dhruv Dhaka
