Monday 23rd February 2009

Cayenne S Hybrid

Clever Porsche promises speed and economy

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Next year’s hybrid version of the Porsche Cayenne will combine a blown Audi V6, an electric motor and an 8-speed transmission to offer V8-levels of performance or four-cylinder economy.

According to new technical information just released from Stuttgart, the Cayenne S Hybrid will earn its ‘S’ badge with a 0-62mph sprint of just 6.8secs. Additionally, Porsche’s full parallel hybrid design will allow the big SUV to ‘coast’ under electric power alone at speeds of up to 86mph, greatly reducing fuel consumption and emissions at highway speeds. Current hybrid concepts offer their greatest benefits in city driving, says Porsche.

As a result, we can expect the Cayenne S Hybrid to deliver close to 30mpg under new European Driving Cycle rules - an official ‘combined cycle’ figure in the same ballpark as a big SUV with weedy four-cylinder power. CO2 output is said to be 20 percent lower than a combustion engine drive train with equivalent performance.

The Cayenne S Hybrid uses Audi’s 333bhp supercharged 3.0 V6 DFI engine with a 52hp three-phase electric motor (that also acts as the alternator) both driving through a newly developed 8-speed automatic transmission. The package also includes a 38kw nickel metal hydride battery that is small enough to fit in the Cayenne’s spare wheel well. A new Hybrid Manager control system requires 20,000 individual data parameters to keep the show on the road – three times the amount of data required by a regular EC system says Porsche.

However it’s the 8-speed transmission that seems to have been the key to unlocking the big Porker’s ‘green’ potential. Porsche engineers have added a new electrical drive pump to the conventional transmission oil pump to shift gears smoothly and efficiently in electric mode. Top speed comes in sixth gear, so the two higher gears serve to further reduce engine speed to enhance fuel economy. It’s the long 8^th gear that enables the driver to 'coast' without the combustion engine at speeds up to 86 mph.

A similar hybrid set-up is promised for the new Panamera four-door sports saloon in 2011.

[Mr Gear]

I always have problems understanding the point of taking a huge, overweight car and then trying to make it more efficient. Why not start with something more efficient in the first place?

But if we can have our cake and eat it (performance and economy), I suppose its a good thing.

[Mr Gear]

life-in-old-dog said:

Does anyone know the mpg of a standard LPG converted Cayenne - worth building upon this instead IMHO, ie improve this technology and make it more widely used - and have you seen the array of rare/toxic metals etc used in car batteries these days - where is it proposed these come from / go afterwards??

Now a Porsche genetically engineered thoroughbred race horse would be something to behold wouldn't it, and no congestion charge to boot??!

LPG is worse for MPG than petrol and diesel. It is just as bad for CO2 output. Where it is better is it is lower on particulates.

And yes, batteries are made from exotic/toxic metals, and provided you don't throw them in the river when you are done with them, they can be recycled cost-effectively.

[Mr Gear]

dickieandjulie said:

I believe the reason for these 'alternative' vehicles is an EU directive that a certain % of a manufacturers vehicles must exceed certain CO2 and MPG levels.

I believe you are right. So, as with most EU legislation, it has no place in common sense, and creates white elephants like this.

[Mr Gear]

XitUp said:

Mr Gear said:

dickieandjulie said:

I believe the reason for these 'alternative' vehicles is an EU directive that a certain % of a manufacturers vehicles must exceed certain CO2 and MPG levels.

I believe you are right. So, as with most EU legislation, it has no place in common sense, and creates white elephants like this.

Most of the advances in car technology are a result of needing to meet regulations.

Stop crying.

I don't disagree with you. If the car industry had it their way, they'd never change a thing. But it appears cars like this are a result of this legislation rather than a logical step to producing rational vehicles that are forward-looking.

Edited to say: And that isn't an anti-hybrid statement... that's an anti-2.5 tonne V6 hybrid statement.

Edited by Mr Gear on Tuesday 24th February 10:24

[Mr Gear]

sad61t said:

Ed. said:

...
Added: while some of your pictures are relevant, Iceland's power solutions are hardly readily transferable and there is still only one of those red snakes.

On a domestic scale geothermal energy can be used in the UK:
EcoHeatPumps

My gas central heating is on its way out, and my neighbours' in our back-to-back terrace must be in a similar state. A communal ground source heat pump for the 6 dwellings would work out cheaper than each of us replacing our gas heating & electric immersion heaters, plus there's the long term saving on gas bills each quarter. It's got to be worth investigating.

Regarding going back to horse & cart, (rhetorically) how long would it take for HM Gov to tax hay based on g/km of CH4?

That's not actually geothermal- it uses a similar principal for transferring heat that a fridge uses. But even so, it's fantastic that it works at all.

[Mr Gear]

Cuprasport said:

Hydrogen anyone??

OK. But you won't get it to work without a battery electric vehicle to add it to, totally negating the point you just made.