Porsche adds two plug-in hybrids to its Cayenne lineup with some serious performance.Doug Firby/The Globe and Mail
Hybrid technology is often sold on the premise that it will make your vehicle more efficient and environmentally friendly. Some carmakers, however, use it to make their vehicles go faster.
Case in point is the three-model lineup of electric-assisted Porsche Cayenne luxury SUVs. In addition to the base model E-Hybrid introduced in 2021, Porsche has unveiled two more powerful plug-in hybrid variants that, shall we say, tip their hats to sustainability, but honestly just make these vehicles go like stink.
Not a little bit faster, either. The high-performance $113,700 S E-Hybrid merges its turbocharged V6 gas engine with an electric motor to produce a face-stretching 512 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. If that isn’t enough to deliver your adrenalin fix, you can step up to the $171,200 Turbo E-Hybrid, which combines a turbocharged V8 engine with the electric boost to produce a sobering 739 horsepower and 700 lb-ft of torque.
Porsche states the rated top speed for these SUVs is 263 and 295 kilometres per hour, respectively. Canadians will note that is roughly 10 times the limit in most school zones and more than double the highest posted highway speed in the country (British Columbia’s Coquihalla Highway takes the honour with a 120 limit).
Both models have an all-electric range of more than 70 kilometres.Doug Firby/The Globe and Mail
Those are just numbers, of course, but the abstraction gets real when you get behind the wheel of these beefy Cayennes. You’ll quickly forget all about being practical.
“The balance for us is always between performance and efficiency,” said Shayan Bagheri, Porsche’s vehicle product line manager for the Cayenne. “It’s more on performance, but it’s still a balance.”
Driving them leaves the impression the balance is distinctly tilted toward the former. Porsche being the performance brand it is, chose Parcmotor Castelolli, a private racetrack an hour northwest of Barcelona, to show off these beasts.
Driving enthusiasts will tell you that SUVs have no place on a racetrack. Unless, of course, the manufacturer has a point to prove. And the divine, tear-inducing proof was there, in breathtaking acceleration runs down straightaways, tight hairpin turns and hard braking to find the perfect line through a curve. These Cayennes are not only fast but surprisingly agile considering they sit much taller than a sports car.
Were it not for the unholy 2,570 kilograms of weight on the E-Hybrid Turbo, you might think Porsche had hologrammed an SUV body onto one of its sports cars.
Ah, but the weight. That’s real and it does lay a gaping pothole in front of any sports car pretensions. Driven aggressively on the racetrack, the Cayenne E-Hybrid Turbo’s beefy Pirelli PZero tires mounted on 21-inch alloy rims, squealed angrily as they desperately clawed to maintain traction.
The exterior cosmetic changes are minor from the first hybrid Cayenne introduced in 2021. On the outside, only a larger front grille and hybrid badging distinguish the vehicle from its gas-powered counterpart. There are two body styles: the roomier SUV shape and the slightly more rakish coupe look.
The interior of the 2024 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid and Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid is substantially updated.Courtesy of manufacturer
The inside, however, is substantially updated. The gear shift lever is now a teensy stick mounted on the dash to the right of the steering wheel, freeing up console space. The curved instrument display is a simple and uncluttered 12.6 inches, and a nifty option is a passenger-side screen that is invisible to the driver.
Both the S E-Hybrid and the Turbo E-Hybrid have standard adaptive air suspension, which Porsche says is improved from the base hybrid. The system allows the driver to choose from five riding options on the fly, from cushy comfort in the E-power and Hybrid modes to tough and taut in the Sport Plus mode.
Porsche increased the size of the battery, mounted in the rear, to gain greater capacity. The 25.9-kilowatt-hour battery weighs 160 kilograms, 30 more than the battery in the first Cayenne hybrid. An enhanced onboard charger increases AC charging to up to 11 kilowatts (the first Cayenne hybrid was 7.2), which the company claims cuts charging time to less than 2.5 hours – about half the base model’s charging time. We weren’t able to confirm that claim at the track because its electrical capacity was too low to deliver power at high rates.
The power goes to a newly designed magnetic synchronous motor mounted between the engine and transmission.
In what might be considered a curious regressive step, the turbocharger has been changed from twin-scroll to single-scroll. Twin-scroll turbos have become common because they reduce the turbo hesitation effect under hard acceleration; with the Cayenne’s single-scroll turbo, the hesitation is noticeable. Bagheri said the single-scroll turbos heat up faster and stay hotter at critical points, providing an improvement in fuel efficiency.
For all their power, these vehicles do provide an environmental plus in city driving. With electric range of more than 70 kilometres, these sporty Cayennes can do a lot of urban trips on pure electricity. Passenger and car space is enough for many families, making them viable all-purpose vehicles. But the fun is in tapping into the horsepower and agility that’s been bred in their bones.
The 25.9-kilowatt-hour battery can charge in about half the time as the base model.Doug Firby/The Globe and Mail
Deliveries will begin in the summer of 2024.
If SUVs have overtaken the minivan as the cuddly kitten-like ride for soccer moms, then these Cayennes must be the tigers. The kids will get to the pitch in record time.
Tech specs
2024 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid and Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid
- Price range: Cayenne S E-Hybrid from $113,700 (Coupe from $119,800); Turbo E-Hybrid from $171,200.
- Engine: Three-litre turbo V6 with hybrid boost; Four-litre turbo V8 with hybrid boost.
- Transmission/drive: Eight-speed automatic / All-wheel drive
- Fuel consumption (litres per 100 kilometres): not yet rated by Transport Canada. All-electric range from full charge estimated at 71-78 kilometres for Cayenne S E-Hybrid and 70-73 kilometres with Turbo E-Hybrid
- Alternatives: BMW X5 xDrive45e, Land Rover Electric Hybrid
The writer was a guest of the automaker. Content was not subject to approval.
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