A-to-Z Guide to Green: Fusion Function Forms

04/01/2008

Availability: 2011
Engine: 3.6-liter V-6 with electric motor powered by a 288-volt nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) battery pack
Power: 290 hp from the engine, 38 kW from the electric motor
Torque: 400 ft lbs (est.)
Zero-to-60: 7 seconds (est.)
Top speed: 171 mph (est.)
Fuel economy: 26 mpg (est.)
Pro: Hybrid drivers can use the high occupancy lanes.
Con: Porsche gives the phrase "green with envy" new meaning.

If the notion of a fuel-efficient hybrid power train from sports car maker Porsche seems a little incongruous, consider that in 1900, company founder Ferdinand Porsche built the world’s first gasoline-electric vehicle—a two-seat carriage powered by electric motors in the front wheel hubs that ran on batteries charged by two combustion engines. The company’s 21st-century take on the hybrid concept, expected by the 2011 model year in the Cayenne sport-utility vehicle and the forthcoming Panamera sedan, is comprised of a 290 hp 3.6-liter, direct-injection V-6 and a 6-speed Tiptronic transmission, with a 51 hp (38 kW) electric motor-generator sandwiched between them, powered by a 288-volt nickel-metal-hydride battery pack beneath the luggage compartment. A computer-controlled clutch selectively disengages the V-6 as conditions warrant, allowing the vehicle to run on gasoline, electricity, or both. With a full charge, it’ll cruise to about 35 mph in electric mode, and even coast long downhill stretches, sans engine, at speeds up to 75 mph. At this point, Porsche claims its hybrid setup can cut fuel consumption by 30 percent, but further development before its showroom debut—perhaps including the use of a highly efficient lithium-ion battery pack, similar to the Tesla Roadster’s—will boost efficiency and performance even more.

Porsche, www.porsche.com/usa