Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid – the new top of the range Panamera
The E-Hybrid versions of the Porsche Panamera are proving so popular that Porsche is struggling to source enough batteries to keep up.
But it’s not just mainstream makes rushing headlong in to hybrids as diesel sales fall and penalties loom, but Premium makers are doing the same, and delivering cars with enormous performance in the process.
That’s a bit of a quandary for regulators as the official emissions of these cars – especially the plug-in variants – have little relationship to their real world emissions. After all, the number of plug-in hybrid owners who actually plug their car in regularly is tiny.
But whilst regulations allow cars like the 671bhp Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid to declare official emissions of just 66g/km and commensurate tax breaks – especially for business users – they’re going to be desirable.
Porsche expected the new E-Hybrid Panamera to account for just 10-15 per cent of sales when it launched earlier this year (followed in the autumn by the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo), but, in Europe and the UK, they’re actually accounting for an average of 60 per cent of sales.
In fact, thanks to the tax breaks on offer, the new hybrid Panamera accounts for 90 per cent of Panamera sales in Belgium and 70 per cent in France.
But the success of the Panamera Hybrid is starting to cause production issues at Porsche – as it has for other car makers – as they don’t have enough batteries to satisfy the demand the hybrid has created.
At the moment, that means longer delivery time of 3-4 months more than a non-hybrid Panamera, but with the hybrid now launching in the US and China, that could get a lot worse.
Let’s hope Porsche revise their forecasts for sales of upcoming hybrids and EVs – like the Porsche Mission-E – ahead of their launch.
Always assuming there is sufficient battery production capacity in the world to actually deal with rapidly rising demand from carmakers.
Mark Geller says
Where did you get your research that says that “the percentage of people who have plugs and use them regularly is tiny”?? Bunk. Everyone I know who has a plug and can get free non-gas, non ICE miles in town plugs in-always. Everyone I know who has a 100K porsche hybrid has a plug in the garage. You also can’t get the hybrid boost if there is zero charge. So that statement is a complete throw away and fabrication IMO and I don’t know why you would make it. It actually begs for an apology as not research based and without proof of any kind.
Cars UK says
Our experience is quite different, with plug-in drivers we know, predominantly company cars, not bothering because it’s a faff and they got the car to cut their tax bills (and London Congestion Charge and free parking too), not to drive an EV. There is also research from fleet users finding fleets moving over to plug-ins from diesels see fuel bills rise for just that reason.
If you do high miles a plug-in hybrid won’t do a lot better than the ICE engine under the bonnet on economy. High-mileage drivers tend to use the ICE engine to re-charge; stopping every 20 miles to re-charge would be a nonsense. There are exceptions, but most PHEVs are bought because of the tax breaks and economy isn’t a concern. You can always generate enough charge from the engine tap the performance potential.
That said, if you do do only local miles during the week, say, and higher miles at the weekend, the PHEV comes in to its own and plugging in is a no-brainer.
Mark Geller says
I cannot speak for the corporate fleet, but what you say makes sense, given the exigencies of the tax breaks for fleets. I can only tell you that in Southern California (home to more plug-ins than anywhere in the world), most drivers are not fleet, nor are we provided fleet discounts or tax advantages for fleet averages. Therefore, the majority of users here buy for the local use and the mileages do reach the 70-80 MPG (U.S. Cycle) because the majority of driving is city, all week, and maybe a short trip of 50 to 100 on the weekend to beaches or the desert. I have 2 plug-ins, use it that way (plug every night) and have averaged 70-90 in both cars, depending on weekend driving. Never thought of the London congestion charge and the free parking (that’s a good perk that parking-we only get to use the diamond freeway lanes, generally 2 people or more per care but one for EV). My bad. Didn’t realize that. Oh, love that faff word!!
Cars UK says
Yes, faff is a good word – used daily to ‘encourage’ productivity as in “Stop faffing around and get on with it!” You have our permission to use it at every possible opportunity!