Porsche Invites 42 Journalists To Prove That The Plug-in Panamera Uses More Gas Than Published

by Bertel Schmitt

May 24th, 2013 6:53 AM

porsche invites 42 journalists to prove that the plug in panamera uses more gas than

42 journalists who had the honor of being invited by Porsche to what was called a “Plug-In Hybrid Technology Workshop” found themselves used as lab rats, and to produce a mileage rating that supports Porsche’s published results for the hybrid Panamera. It didn’t quite work out that way. Says a Porsche press release:

”On the occasion of an international press event – in which over 42 test drives were conducted with journalists in the Panamera S E-Hybrid covering a total distance of over 1,200 kilometers – the model consumed just 4.4 l/100 km (53.5 mpg) averaged over all drives. The top value recorded on the circuit course for the world’s first plug-in hybrid in the luxury class was a low 2.8 l/100 km (84 mpg). These results illustrate that in real everyday operation, it is entirely possible to attain fuel consumption values of the same magnitude as the value determined in NEDC testing, which is 3.1 l/100 km.”

On a strictly non-EPA conversion, the average 4.4 l/100 km would equate 53.5 mpg. The top value of 2.8 l/100 km converts to 84 mpg. Porsche’s published 3.1 l/100 km rating would convert to 75.9 mpg. For the unwashed, NEDC refers to the New European Driving Cycle, which supposedly mimics the typical usage of a car in Europe, which it gloriously doesn’t.

The circuit, and the usage profile also were slightly atypical. According to Porsche, “the test circuit, which had a total length of 28.7 km, followed a course through and around the city of Hockenheim and comprised 6.5 km city driving, 9.2 km of country roads and 13 km of German Autobahn – some without speed limits. A prerequisite for attaining such values is systematically exploiting opportunities for charging the 9.4 kWh lithium-ion battery on the electrical grid.”

Great, in the meantime, we exploit opportunities to show pictures of the Panamera in a Stau, in a picturesque village, and in use. We also ask our Porsche-insider Doug Demuro for an inside view.

#BertelSchmitt #ElectricalGrid #FuelConsumption #GermanAutobahn #Panamera #Porsche #TechnologyWorkshop

Comments

Join the conversation

6 of 24 comments

Henkdevries on May 24, 2013

"NEDC refers to the New European Driving Cycle, which supposedly mimics the typical usage of a car in Europe, which it gloriously doesn’t." The NEDC doesn't show real world results, boohoo. It does show the differences between models and that is also interesting for a customer. Turbo- and hybrid-engined cars have an unfair advantage because they are better tunable to this cycle. This is caused by the low accelerations demanded in the cycle. A new test cycle is underway, but this takes of course some more time. For the interested www.spritmonitor.de has a fairly large database of real peoples MPG data. Real emission numbers (CO2, CO, PM etc) are within a certain bandwith of the NEDC except for NOx from diesels. Euro6 is so tight on NOx that manufacturers have to take extra precautions and this has the effect that NOx is within the bandwith as well. In the Netherlands you pay sales tax according to the NEDC measured CO2 emission. Although the test is not perfect the effect of the policy is that people buy cars that use less fuel/emit less and that is the goal of the policy. I don't see all the trouble. When was marketing about telling the truth?

Like Reply
- See 3 previous
- Landcrusher on May 24, 2013
  
  Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that you pay the carbon tax based on the test in spite of how that may differ from your actual output by a ridiculous margin?
  
  Like
- Wumpus on May 25, 2013
  
  "In the Netherlands you pay sales tax according to the NEDC measured CO2 emission" WTF (yes, I know it's government so completely insane). This is even worse than CAFE: how long have they been working on it? Gas burned is directly proportional to CO2 emissions. The only thing that makes the slightest bit of difference is if you are using gas or diesel (diesel causes a bit more per gallon). The stupid, it hurts. Make it go away.
  
  Like
- Redav on May 26, 2013
  
  @Landcrusher Considering Europe's fuel prices (including taxes), I think it would be more accurate to say that consumers pay taxes on rated efficiency of the car AND the way they drive it. The rating is just that--a rating. It really has no need for absolute accuracy, only sufficient consistency that various cars' ratings are correctly proportional. If you can accept the tax model, it isn't a big deal.
  
  Like
- Landcrusher on May 26, 2013
  
  @redav No issues with the fuel tax, only the carbon tax. It's a lie. Much like CAFE, it won't actually accomplish much to affect its goals. It's just an example of evil government.
  
  Like
Carlisimo on May 24, 2013

Did you convert liters to US gallons, or Imperial gallons? (Never mind, I did the math and it looks like US gallons.)

Like Reply

Recent Comments

Tassos BTW I thought this silly thing was always called the "Wienermobile".
Tassos I have a first cousin with same first and last name as my own, 17 years my junior even tho he is the son of my father's older brother, who has a summer home in the same country I do, and has bought a local A3 5-door hatch kinds thing, quite old by now.Last year he told me the thing broke down and he had to do major major repairs, replace the whole engine and other stuff, and had to rent a car for two weeks in a touristy location, and amazingly he paid more for the rental ( Euro1,500, or $1,650-$1,700) than for all the repairs, which of course were not done at the dealer (I doubt there was a dealer there anyway)
Tassos VW's EV program losses have already been horrific, and with (guess, Caveman!) the Berlin-Brandenburg Gigafactory growing by leaps and bounds, the future was already quite grim for VW and the VW Group.THis shutdown will not be so temporary.The German Government may have to reach in its deep pockets, no matter how much it hates to spend $, and bail it out."too big to fail"?
Billccm I had a 1980 TC3 Horizon and that car was as reliable as the sun. Underappreciated for sure.
Inside Looking Out I did not notice, did they mention climate change? How they are going to fight climate change, racism and gender discrimination. I mean collective Big 3.