Porsche’s Plug-In Hybrid SUV
Porsche has a well-earned reputation for its high-performance sports cars, but the company is also a hybrid pioneer. In fact, Ferdinand Porsche engineered the world’s first hybrid car, the Lohner-Porsche Mixte, in 1903, and Porsche has been experimenting with electrification ever since. The Porsche Cayenne SUV and the Panamera hatchback have offered hybrid power since 2011, and plug-in versions have been available since 2015. The latest version of the Cayenne, introduced for the 2024 model year, comes with significant enhancements to its electrified drivetrain, which elevate both its performance and fuel economy.
Taking a page from the playbook of the stunning 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid supercar, the latest-generation Cayenne hybrids offer significant all-electric driving range, a small switch for the transmission gear selector instead of a shift knob, and multiple driving modes to tailor their behavior for different situations. And instead of being available in just one plug-in hybrid version, there are now three Cayenne E-Hybrid models: the Cayenne E-Hybrid, Cayenne S E-Hybrid, and the top-of-the line Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid.
We spent a few days getting to know the Cayenne S E-Hybrid, and here’s what we found.
Cayenne Hybrid Range and Charging
The Cayenne S E-Hybrid’s battery is now significantly larger than before. At 29.5 kWh, it can power this big, heavy SUV around town for over 50 miles – which is longer than the majority of American daily commutes. If you’re set up to charge at home, the larger battery and the 174-hp electric motor mean that you can do almost all of your daily driving emissions-free, and without using any gas; but are always prepared for a spontaneous longer trip, thanks to the 19.8-gallon fuel tank. At home, you can charge on a Level 2 charger at up to 11 kW – faster than many pure EVs; a full charge takes just over two hours.
Despite weighing more than two tons, the Cayenne moves around town easily on electric power alone, thanks to the instantaneous torque provided by the e-motor, which actually drives through the eight-speed automatic transmission. It zips swiftly and silently from stoplight to stoplight, and brake regeneration is very efficient with good pedal feel. Even when the battery is almost completely depleted, it’s amazing how much energy is recovered and how much driving can be done without the gasoline engine, the big Porsche SUV almost always finding a way to operate emissions-free.
Make full use of the gasoline engine’s power and you’ll find this isn’t a fuel-sipping economy car; heavy use will quickly drop fuel economy to 20 mpg or less. Highway cruising will return over 25, which isn’t super impressive either. However, when calculating the distances driven without fuel, my average worked out to just over 42 mpg.
Porsche Cayenne Driving Experience
Of course, there is satisfaction to be had for the driver in pressing the accelerator to the floor, and bringing the turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 engine into the mix. Producing a stout 348 hp, when combined with electric power, you get a total of 512 hp – more than the twin-turbocharged V8 in the gasoline-only Cayenne GTS. 0-60 mph is dispatched in just 4.4 seconds, a seamless blur of shifts, punctuated by a lovely purr from under the hood.
A rotary switch mounted on the lovely three-spoke steering wheel lets you cycle through different drive modes to suit your mood. If there’s enough charge in the battery, plug-in hybrid Cayennes will start in E-Power mode, defaulting to electric operation only. You can also choose from Hybrid, Sport, Sport Plus, and Individual modes with the Hybrid mode offering further options to maximize charging or around-town zero-emissions operation. Not only do the drive modes alter how the drivetrain responds; they also change the stiffness and height of the adjustable air suspension, the weight of the steering, and even the way some of the instruments are configured.
In the corners, you really appreciate the Porsche’s sophisticated suspension setup and a choice of wheel sizes from 20 to 22 inches (the one I drove had the biggest 22s). While you are always conscious that this is a large, heavy vehicle in curves, it is incredibly stable and easy to drive, and available four-wheel steering gives it a startling nimbleness in tight corners, as the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to the fronts. (At higher speeds, the all-wheel steering aids stability by steering the rears in the same direction as the front wheels.)
Upgraded Technology and Interior
While Porsche continues to target its vehicles at enthusiastic drivers, it realizes that vehicles like the Cayenne Hybrid will be used for daily family duty, so a full range of driver assistance features are available. The adaptive cruise control system works very smoothly, and is easy to operate with a column-mounted stalk; the same stalk also lets you activate lane keeping assist and other functions. Other useful features include blind spot monitors, multiple cameras to assist with parking and low-speed maneuvering, and automatic emergency braking.
The 2024 Cayenne S E-Hybrid shares its updated interior with the rest of the 2024 Porsche Cayenne lineup. The all-digital dashboard with its curved display has been lifted wholesale from the electric Taycan, with ultra-high resolution, crisp graphics, and endless configurability. Infotainment is controlled through a large central touchscreen with revised, easier-to-use graphics, and there is an optional screen for the front-seat passenger, which isn’t visible by the driver thanks to a clever optical filter.
Thankfully, Porsche has resisted the urge to go all-in with digital controls. There’s a row of physical climate control switches on the center console, a real volume knob, and buttons for the most frequently-used functions. It’s an easy cabin to get along with, thanks to plenty of useful storage spaces, fantastic 14-way power seats (18-way seats are optional), and plenty of room front and rear. The hybrid system’s battery doesn’t encroach on the primary cargo space either, though you lose some underfloor storage in the trunk.
As with every Porsche, there is a huge range of customization options available, from different types of leather and stitching to a panoply of decorative trim options and a panoramic glass roof. Your imagination is only limited by your budget.
Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid: Pricing and Availability
With a starting MSRP of $105,100, the 2024 Cayenne S E-Hybrid sits in the middle of Porsche’s lineup of large SUVs. In addition to a number of gasoline-only models, there is a 463-hp “base” Cayenne E-Hybrid model that will go from 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds at a starting MSRP of $97,200, and a whopping 729-hp Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid, whose turbocharged V8 and electric motor will get to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and has a starting MSRP of $157,100. If you don’t want to go hybrid, the starting MSRP for the Cayenne lineup is $84,700 for a turbocharged V6 with 348 hp.
None of these options is an economical one, but Porsches have never been bargains. What’s impressive about the hybrid models is how they combine all of the traditional virtues of a Porsche – impressive acceleration, entertaining handling, surprising comfort, and amazing responsiveness – with the ability to drive emissions-free and fuel-free a lot of the time.
The plug-in hybrid models give you impressive performance and come with very little price penalty. Considering that they give you all that extra capability with no real sacrifice in practicality or convenience, it’s no surprise that the E-Hybrid models are taking a greater and greater share of Cayenne sales. If the Porsche Cayenne is on your luxury SUV shopping list, the E-Hybrid models seem like a no-brainer.
