Stuttgart, Germany - German sports carmaker Porsche said
Monday it will offer a hybrid version of its popular Cayenne sports
utility vehicle by the end of the decade.
The hybrid Cayenne is due to cut fuel consumption by about 30 per
cent, while retaining its driving dynamics, Michael Leiters, the
engineer in charge of the programme, said.
At a time of growing debate about climate change, a market leader
like Porsche has to offer cars with low consumption and emission
levels otherwise general acceptance for the brand would decline,
Leiters said.
He said the new hybrid would consume 8.9 litres of petrol per 100
kilometres, compared to 12.9 litres for the most economical Cayenne
model on the market today.
Hybrid technology uses a gasoline internal-combustion engine and
an electric motor that operate independently or jointly.
Porsche's announcement comes as European Union legislators are
seeking to get automakers to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to an
average of 130 grammes per kilometre by 2012.
Porsche is developing the hybrid with Germany's largest automaker,
Volkswagen and with VW subsidiary Audi. Leiters said a hybrid version
would also be available for the 4-seater sports coupe Panamera which
is due to come on the market in 2009.
Other German top-flight manufacturers BMW and Mercedes-Benz are
developing hybrid models in partnership with United States concern
General Motors.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
USA
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