2019 Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid Flaunts Green Cred And Hauls Ass With 462 Horsepower

With that in mind, Porsche is on an electrification kick, and the latest fruit to bear is the 2019 Cayenne E-Hybrid. The Cayenne was completely redesigned for the 2018 model year, and the new E-Hybrid inherits all of the refinements of its combustion-engine siblings. This time around, Porsche has increased the battery capacity from 10.8 kWh to 14.1 kWh, which represents a 30 percent improvement over its predecessor. The liquid-cooled battery pack is stored under the cargo area of the crossover and can be recharged in less than 8 hours with a 230V (10 amps) connection. With an optional 7.2 kW onboard charger and a 230V (32 amps) connection, you'll see charging times (from empty) fall to just over 2 hours.

The battery powers a 136hp electric motor, which sits between a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine and the 8-speed Tiptronic S automatic transmission. Speaking of the V6 engine, it pumps out a healthy 340hp on its own and the combined system output is 462hp. That is enough push this heavyweight all-wheel drive crossover from a standstill to 60 mph in just 4.7 seconds and cross the 1/4-mile mark in 13.3 seconds.

In electric mode, Porsche says that the plug-in hybrid can travel 27 miles before having to fallback its gasoline engine. That 27-mile range, however, is calculated using the European Driving Cycle. Once the U.S. EPA numbers are calculated, we have the feeling that the range will likely fall below 20 miles.

Besides the powertrain updates, the Cayenne E-Hybrid is available with Porsche's new digital cockpit and a new heads up display. Also available is the InnoDrive adaptive cruise control system, which uses GPS to "scan" the road ahead to adjust vehicle performance. Porsche explains:

With the aid of high-resolution navigation data and information supplied by the radar and video sensors, Porsche InnoDrive determines speed limits and topographical road features, such as gradients or corner radii, along your route even before you reach them – and modifies the gearshift strategy and speed of the Panamera accordingly. For intelligent driving and a significant efficiency advantage.

The 2019 Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid lands in U.S. showrooms next year with a starting price of $80,950. Expect prices to ramp up quickly from there once option are piled on (in typical Porsche fashion).