Porsche Cayenne 2015 Review

If someone predicted Porsche may be one of many 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 is now offering three plug-ins, much more than another car manufacturer. Clearly, among those three is the 918 Spyder, which isn’t exactly mainstream production. But still.

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

The remainder of the car is similar on the recently revamped Cayenne, with some exceptions. The 282-pound battery, consisting of 104 individual cells, consumes the space normally available for an extra 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, according to Porsche. In “E-Power” mode, though, the Cayenne moves solely in the single electric motor at speeds up to 78 mph. This ability is mostly targeted at European markets, where it allows owners to avoid congestion fees in certain cities. Americans can utilize this silent-running mode to sneak up on friends or, at the very least, valets.

Every time a Cayenne starts, it’s in E-Power mode by standard, assuming there is 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 may cut that to 90 minutes if you have access to a high-voltage feed.

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

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