The Porsche Panamera will be electric, but not fully electric.
The German sports car manufacturer plans to release an electric version of the powerful four-door grand tourer, but that does not mean the end of the petrol or hybrid versions, AutocarAll three Panameras are expected to co-exist well into the next decade.
Porsche may not be as big on electrification as some of its rivals, but research and development chief Michael Steiner told the British newspaper that it has no plans to abandon the combustion engine either. The well-regarded Taycan, Macan (from next year) and 718 successor will be electric-only, but the Cayenne and Panamera are expected to be available with petrol engines (either alone or in conjunction with an electric motor) for some time to come. The brand’s most famous model, the 911, already comes with hybrid power, but a fully electric version is still a long way off.
The petrol and hybrid versions of the Cayenne will also remain.
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“The new Cayenne is fully electric, but throughout its lifespan there will also be a version with a combustion engine,” Steiner told the magazine. “The same goes for the Panamera, and we have just released an update for the Porsche 911 with hybrid drive.”
It makes sense to keep the ICE Panamera around a little longer. The third and latest generation was only introduced last autumn, after all. It features subtly refined styling and new air suspension (Porsche Active Ride is available as an option on the hybrid models). The most powerful petrol model is the GTS, powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 that produces 493bhp and 650Nm of torque, while the most powerful hybrid, the Turbo S E-Hybrid, features an electrified version of the same engine that produces 771bhp and 1,000Nm of torque. The GTS accelerates from 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds and reaches a top speed of 300km/h, while the Turbo S E-Hybrid accelerates to 100km/h in 2.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 326km/h.
While Porsche has no plans to discontinue the gasoline and hybrid versions of the Cayenne and Panamera, Steiner says it wants 80 percent of its vehicles sold to be electric by 2030 (and is prepared for that). It doesn’t sound like the company will be too upset if it misses that goal, though. It’s preparing for every eventuality, including investing heavily in synthetic e-fuels. The company believes e-fuels could even allow it to continue selling combustion-engine vehicles after 2035.
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