2009 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid

Hybrid Pepper

Porsche's gas-electric Cayenne loses little in utility to its conventional counterpart.

Despite complaints from Porsche purists that an SUV has diluted the brand, few would argue that Cayenne has been anything less than a complete success. It has become Porsche's sales leader and has allowed the company to pour more research and money into its sports cars.

Soon the Cayenne lineup will be expanded with a hybrid version of the high-performance SUV. The hybrid Cayenne will pack an electric motor that can fully power the vehicle up to 75 mph. It could prove to be a real achievement for Porsche, as most hybrid electric motors can only run on electricity at much lower speeds.

The hybrid is said to be just as capable as the regular Cayenne, able to tackle tough off-road conditions and tow thousand-pound loads with just as much gusto, while being faster and more fuel efficient. The hybrid Cayenne will use a V6 engine paired with an electric motor. Porsche says it will achieve more than 26 mpg.

Porsche has worked with Volkswagen/Audi on the hybrid system, which might also propel the planned Panamera sedan. As with other hybrids, the battery pack that powers the electric motor is recharged during braking as well as when the gas-powered motor takes over at high speeds.