2015 Porsche Cayenne SUV Cool Review

If anyone expected Porsche would be one of the brands leading the cost on plug-in hybrids back when Chevrolet launched the Volt in 2010-just as Porsche was debuting its first-ever production hybrid using the Cayenne-that person should be dealing futures on Wall Street. By replacing that SUV with this 2015 Cayenne S E-Hybrid plug-in, Porsche presently has three plug-ins, a lot more than any other car maker. Of course, among those three is the 918 Spyder, which isn’t exactly mainstream production. But still.

To get the Cayenne to plug-in status, Porsche basically grafted inside the Panamera E-Hybrid’s high-voltage battery, electric motor, and power electronics, upping the lithium-ion battery power to 10.8 kWh on the sedan’s 9.4. Otherwise, the powertrain is identical, on the Audi-sourced supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 to the Aisin eight-speed automatic. Torque is routed to all of four wheels with a limited-slip center differential with a rear-biased (58-percent) torque distribution.

The residual car is similar to the currently revamped Cayenne, with a few exceptions. The 282-pound battery, consisting of 104 individual cells, consumes the area normally available for a spare tire. Versus other Cayennes, the $77,395 E-Hybrid has two additional buttons on its center console. Selecting “E-Charge” prioritizes replenishing a depleted battery so future electric driving is achievable. This increases fuel consumption by about 20 percent, in line with Porsche. In “E-Power” mode, though, the Cayenne moves solely at the single electric motor at speeds up to 78 mph. This ability is mostly directed at European markets, where it enables buyers to avoid congestion fees in certain cities. Americans will be able to use this silent-running mode to sneak standing on friends or, at the least, valets.

Each time a Cayenne starts, it’s in E-Power mode by standard, assuming you will find enough juice inside the battery. Porsche claims that charging with a 240-volt hookup takes about three-and-a-half hours with the standard 3.6-kW charger; an optional 7.2-kW unit can reduce that to 90 minutes if you've got access to a high-voltage feed.

Driving in a city will make it tough to wish for more power compared to electric motor manufactures. Maximum acceleration with all 416 gas-and-electric horses should return a zero-to-60-mph sprint well below six seconds, plus a quarter-mile will pass in just over 14 ticks, according to Porsche. No too shabby for any two-and-a-half ton ute.


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