What do you do if you want to drive electric but - faced with rising energy costs, a creaking charging infrastructure and - worst of all - range anxiety, can’t quite make the leap?
The ban on sales of new conventionally powered vehicles from 2030 has understandably handed EVs a lot of attention, not least with the Evening Standard’s own report calling for key measures to help drive change.
There are still plenty of hybrids (which combine electric motors with petrol or diesel ones) on offer however and - for many - they deliver the best of both worlds. They give the satisfaction of doing your bit for the environment, with improved MPG and lower emissions while being less heavily laden with planet-damaging batteries than a pure EV, at the same time as doing away with the absolute necessity of having to plug in.
And whereas Hybrids used to mean a sensible, boxy ‘town’ car, the choice today is far, far wider, far more enticing.
Imposing
Take Porsche’s mighty Panamera, for example. We drove the estate-like 4S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo, a glamorous, imposing, potent - and certainly fun to drive – grand tourer that’s happy in town or on a big UK or transcontinental tour.
Naturally, being a Porsche, it’s not inexpensive. Its price tag of £105,830 – before all of the additional options buyers will want to select - puts it on a par with the likes of Mercedes’ S-Class, Audi’s RS 6 Avant or even the all-electric Tesla Model S. None of which quite have the visual impact of the Panamera which looks sleek, imposing and particularly sporty.
Under the bonnet is a 2,894cc V6 petrol engine producing 440 horsepower and great dollops of torque (550 Nm at 2,000-5,500rpm). Also hidden away is a 136 hp electric motor. The combined power output of 560hp means it’s capable of a top speed of 182mph, with 0-62 mph coming up in a very rapid 3.7 seconds.
This is a PHEV (plug-in electric hybrid), however, so as well as recharging its own battery as it drives along, it can be plugged in at home or at a (more costly) public charger. Fully topped up, the battery gives a claimed electric-only range of 34 miles. It also reaches an all-electric speed of 87mph.
On a fast, 7.2kW charger, it can be fully charged in three hours, although it will take considerably longer on a standard, three-pin domestic power line. If you can’t charge it up - maybe there’s a queue or several chargers are out of order as happened to me recently - you just carry on driving, letting the car boost its batteries from the petrol engine. No wonder CO2 emissions are pegged at 67 – 55 g/km (WLTP), delivering low rates of company car tax.
Smooth
Cleverly, the Panamera E-Hybrid knows when to keep some battery power back, for use in town. If you set a route on the sat-nav, it will work out where to best use the ‘spare’ kilowatts for maximum effect. Porsche have worked hard on this car - the switch from petrol to electric power is largely smooth and seamless.
The first thing you notice about the Panamera is how long - and low - it appears. The second is its air of rarefied luxury inside the cabin, with its airline-like cockpit nicely angled around the driver.
The seating position is spot-on with all essential controls falling nicely to hand. Even so, it feels big - and wide - at first acquaintance, especially in town. It is, after all, 2,165mm from mirror to mirror, compared to, say, a Porsche 911’s mere 1900 mms. Fortunately, with familiarity - and thanks to its reasonably compact turning circle - this soon becomes less of a problem.
Exhilarating
On the open road the performance is instantaneous and exhilarating. The ride - which can be adapted through several stages from sporty hard to cruising soft at the press of a handy, central button – is nicely judged. Visibility out is good and noise suppression generally impressive, although those big fat 20-inch tyres do generate some cabin-intruding noise, especially on rougher sections of motorway.
Options on the test car included a lavish panoramic roof system (£1,581), Rear Axle Steering, contributing to its ease of driving in town (£1,563), Adaptive Cruise Control (£1,455) and deliciously moody Ambient Lighting (£317). Owners can also add Night View Assist and Head Up Display.
The rear seats – like those up front - are highly comfortable, supportive and plush, offering plenty of room. There’s also a decent-sized boot although large, premium zip-up bags containing a variety of charging cables unfortunately eat up some of the space. You can’t always have your cake and eat it, it seems.
This big Panamera will never be as nimble as, for instance, the 911. Think of it more as an exciting, comfortable, highly refined, luxurious, long-legged grand tourer. A car for relaxed long journeys with plenty of power and fun always in reserve.
For those wanting to do their bit for the environment – while seeking exhilaration, sophistication, speed and prestige - this hybrid could be the answer.
Porsche Panamera 4S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo
Price: £105,830
Top speed: 182 mph
0-62 mph: 3.7 seconds
Electric-only range: 34 miles
Electric-only top speed: 87 mph
Rapid charge time: three hours
Co2 emissions: 67 – 55 g/km (WLTP)
