You’d have thought the last thing a buyer wealthy enough to afford an £89k Porsche Panamera needed was a £5000 discount on their mammoth new supersaloon. But, thanks the Panamera S E-hybrid cracking the eco numbers, that’s exactly what the UK government is offering.
The Panamera S E-hybrid has joined a list of just 15 cars eligible for Britian’s ‘ULEV’ (ultra low-emission vehicle) status, approved by OLEV (the Office for low-emission vehicles.) Yes, in real life, it’s ridiculous, but on paper, the S E-hybrid is a wunderkid of low-emission motoring.
How has the Porsche Panamera S E-hybrid qualified as an ultra low-emission vehicle?
Because of the new hybrid’s ability to run for up to 22 miles at up to 84mph on electric power alone. Its official economy test figures stand at 91mpg and 71g/km of CO2, despite the car also packing a 3.0-litre V6 engine. It develops 316bhp that pushes this Panamera to 62mph in just 5.5sec. Combined output from the petrol engine and electric motor is a BMW M3-bothering 410bhp.
UK government rules state that to qualify for OLEV status, a vehicle must emit fewer than 75g/km of CO2 (tick) and be able to exceed 60mph (the Porsche will blast all the way to 167mph.) And, because there’s a throaty V6 to fall back on when the batteries are flat, the car’s range easily beats the required minimum of 110 miles.
Other OLEVs include the all-electric Nissan Leaf, BMW’s new i3 and the Renault Twizy. The closest in terms of size to the Porsche is the decidedly tardier Vauxhall Ampera, which creates a not-so-mighty 84bhp.
And what’s the benefit?
OLEV-certified cars score a 25% purchase price discount, up to a maximum of £5000. That means your Panamera S E-hybrid drops from £88,967 to £83,967 – saving almost enough money to spec carbon-ceramic brakes at the Exchequer’s expense…
That’s not all. As an OLEV-certified machine, the Panamera S E-hybrid also sidesteps the London congestion charge, road tax, and the initial registration fee. Those perks alone would save S E-hybrid buyers a minimum of £350, versus a regular Panamera S. Enough change for coloured seatbelts!
Greenpeace company car, anyone?
>> Does this tactic make a mockery of the government grant and EU emissions testing, or is Porsche to be applauded for its greenest Panamera? Add your thoughts in the comments below