More Juice for Porsche’s Hyper-Hybrids
Porsche’s electric Taycan certainly earned its share of the spotlight in 2020. That’s understandable, especially with the top model cranking out 750 horsepower. If you enjoy driving on electrons but aren’t ready to completely cut gasoline from your diet, have a look at Porsche’s newly juiced-up 2021 Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid models.
We’re going to throw a lot of numbers at you. The upshot here is 689 total horsepower, a 20-mile all-electric driving range and a 196-mph top track speed. That applies to your choice of three body styles — sedan, long-wheelbase Executive sedan and Sport Turismo semi-wagon.
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“S” Stands for Speedy
The “S” on any Porsche has always indicated higher performance than standard models, and that’s no different for Panamera hybrids. The base Panamera 4 E-Hybrid teams a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 with a 134-horsepower electric motor through the 8-speed PDK automatic transmission. The Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid models, on the other hand, have a 563-horsepower twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 hitched to the electric motor, resulting in the aforementioned 689 horses (up from 677 hp in the 2020 models) and 642 lb-ft of total system torque.
These are plug-in hybrids, remember, and the battery capacity grows from 14.1 to 17.9 kWh for the 2021 models. You can charge at home using a standard 120V outlet or a 240V outlet. In case you forget to plug in, though, the car will still function in hybrid mode. So, as long as you’ve got gas in the tank, you’re always good to go. Speaking of gas, EPA combined fuel economy for a Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid models is 22 mpg, so this is no Prius.
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Did We Say Fast?
Performance is electrifying. Porsche says the 2021 Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo will blast from 0-60 mph in a mere 3 seconds. Car & Driver, however, had already clocked 2.7 seconds in the earlier “less powerful” model. Rest assured, any Panamera S E-Hybrid model will strain your neck and face muscles when accelerating at full force.
You’ll spot the 2021 models by the new standard Sport Design front fascia, new wheel designs and the full-width taillight strip. The latter is probably the only view other drivers will see.
