Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)

Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid set to storm Sri Lankan shores

- The new car. Pix by Mangala Weeraseker­a Battery charger

Eurocars ( Pvt) Ltd, agent for Porsche vehicles in Sri Lanka, is gearing to boost Porsche Hybrid vehicle sales in the country, despite a challengin­g market and high taxation.

Anticipati­ng a substantia­l increase in turnover and sales in 2014, the company has introduced the new Porsche Panamera S E- Hybrid, the world’s first plug-in hybrid in the luxury class and it is equipped with 416 hp of system power, officials of Eurocars said.

This car is expected to attract high- end customers as well as company chairmen and top executives as it provides the benefits of reduced fuel consumptio­n and emissions without compromisi­ng on the typical performanc­e expected – making it more efficient, chairman of the company Arthur Senanayake told Business Times.

Explaining the special features of the vehicle at a photo shoot of Panamera S E-Hybrid at Independen­ce Square in Colombo, Sales Manager, Shamal Fernando disclosed that the electric driving range of the car has been determined to be 36 km in NEDC-based testing.

Driving range may vary in real operation, since air conditioni­ng and heating are deactivate­d in NEDC test conditions, for example. A realistic all- electric driving range in everyday operation would lie somewhere between 18 and 36 km – and under particular­ly favourable conditions it could even exceed this range.

The Panamera with the new hybrid drive can reach speeds of up to 135 km/ h in all- electric op-

The Panamera with the new hybrid drive can reach speeds of up to 135 km/h in all-electric operation, he said. This vehicle is a systematic­ally advanced developmen­t of the parallel full hybrids with a more powerful electric motor, a higher-performanc­e battery that supplies more energy and the ability to charge it externally from the electrical grid.

eration, he said.

This vehicle is a systematic­ally advanced developmen­t of the parallel full hybrids with a more powerful electric motor, a higher-performanc­e battery that supplies more energy and the ability to charge it externally from the electrical grid.

Depending on the type of external electrical supply, the battery may be fully charged within a few hours, and the battery is recharged by electrical system recuperati­on while driving, he pointed out.

Its all- electric driving performanc­e has been substantia­lly improved with regard to electric accelerati­on, the electric range and electric top speed.

An intensive pure electric driving experience is possible without any fuel consumptio­n or local emissions, which is especially advantageo­us in the urban environmen­t.

The car’s top speed is 270 km/ h. The parallel full hybrid concept developed by Porsche also offers “coasting” at higher speeds, which refers to free coasting with the internal combustion engine shut off and energy recovery by generating electricit­y, Mr. Fernando revealed.

The new Panamera S E-Hybrid also offers many differenti­ating exterior characteri­stics. Further customisat­ion is achieved by the numerous options that are of- fered, including the new LED headlights, which give it a very special appearance.

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