Great 2015 Porsche Cayenne SUV Review

If someone expected Porsche may 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 with 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 is now offering three plug-ins, more than any other car manufacturer. Clearly, 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 in the sedan’s 9.4. Otherwise, the powertrain is identical, from the Audi-sourced supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 for the Aisin eight-speed automatic. Torque is routed to any or all four wheels using a limited-slip center differential using a rear-biased (58-percent) torque distribution.

The remainder of the car is identical to the recently revamped Cayenne, with some exceptions. The 282-pound battery, containing 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 feasible. This increases fuel consumption by about 20 percent, based on Porsche. In “E-Power” mode, though, the Cayenne moves solely in the single electric motor at speeds up to 78 mph. This ability is mainly aimed at European markets, where it enables buyers to avert congestion fees in particular cities. Americans will be able to use this silent-running mode to sneak up on friends or, at minimum, valets.

Anytime 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 all the standard 3.6-kW charger; an optional 7.2-kW unit can reduce that to 90 minutes assuming you have admission to a high-voltage feed.

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



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