Taycan or Panamera?

[RKZ]

Happily drove a 2013 Panamera GTS (CPO) for 7 years. Absolutely loved it but approaching big repair bill territory and wanting to explore an EV took delivery of my 23 Taycan 4 S in December and thoroughly enjoy driving it. BUT, suffer from severe range anxiety. Only drive the vehicle 5-6 months/year as have 2 homes. At the same time as buying the Taycan, bought a '22 BMW X5 45e for my wife and learned that we drive less than 30 miles/day 80% of the days we drive our vehicles. Researching the upcoming '24 Panamera, find that it may have a hybrid range of 50+ miles plus enhanced suspension capabilities. Now wondering if the best solution might be to trade the Taycan for a '24 Panamera hybrid.
I'll never track my car. Am a "spirited" driver 30% of the time, the rest driving in the typical city/hwy mix. I'm very disappointed at the poor performance of the US charging infrastructure and frankly, fearful of the resale value of my '23 Taycan in the future considering that we may be seeing significant battery improvements.
I'm not asking any of you to make my decision for me, just interested in any thoughts as to whether a hybrid might be a better decision for the next 5-6 years and then go back to pure EV. Thoughts? Challenges? Ridicule?

 

[Jhenson29]

I had a Panamera for 6 years. Taycan for 2 years. I wouldn’t go back to a Panamera over a Taycan. The Taycan looks much nicer, drive much better, and feels much smaller (despite not really being significantly smaller).

I also don’t have any reason to drive my Taycan further than half its range from my house, so the public charging infrastructure doesn’t factor in for me. If it did, I wouldn’t have an EV at all.

 

[Jonathan S.]

I can't speak to many (most?) of these issues, but FWIW (which admittedly might not be much):

1. CCS1 Public Charging Anxiety, I feel your pain (or more precisely, your anxiety). Probably won't get better anytime soon unless EA is suddenly about to upgrade its stations in your region with whatever those new 350kW units are that actually work. Even if VAG were to capitulate to Tesla's terms right now, V3 TSCN access won't happen until early 2025. The upcoming Gang of Seven network might ramp up quickly in 2024, or like all the other non-TSCN Coming Soon promises end up not amounting to much.

2. Selling your 2023 Taycan so soon after taking delivery only this past December on the idea that this will mitigate resale losses, as a fellow finance professional was recently quoted as remarking, Oof.

3. Panamera hybrid with that much range, sounded intriguing to me, but alas I think this is what you're referencing:
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a44867808/2024-porsche-panamera-prototype-drive/

"At the same time, the battery's capacity increases from 17.9 to 25.9 kilowatt-hours (an estimated 14.3 to 20.6 kilowatt-hours in usable terms), while the zero-emission range is expected to jump from 39 to approximately 53 miles on the European test cycle. It's far too early to know how any U.S. model will be rated, but if the same magnitude of benefit were somehow bestowed on a 2023 Panamera 4S E-Hybrid its EPA-rated plug-in range would increase from 19 miles to 26 miles."​

 

[CaliPorsche]

I have owned two Panamera's, a 4S and a GTS … I would never swap my Taycan 4S for another Panamera ……… unless they made an EV version….. for me the drive just simply does not compare …..

 

[Hirschaj]

suffer from severe range anxiety. Only drive the vehicle 5-6 months/year as have 2 homes. At the same time as buying the Taycan, bought a '22 BMW X5 45e for my wife and learned that we drive less than 30 miles/day 80% of the days we drive our vehicles

Why the severe range anxiety? Did you leave out some important details?

 

[WasserGKuehlt]

A couple of points:
- not sure if you noticed, depreciation seems to be quite the concern around here; the longer you keep the car, the more impervious you are to its effects. Not only that, but EV infrastructure is getting better with time. (I would speculate that the slowdown in EV sales may actually accelerate said infrastructure investments/improvements.)
- having never driven a hybrid, my impression of the concept is actually the opposite of "best of both worlds": they're still not beyond the "big bills" inherent with ageing ICEs, and they're not delivering the full efficiency of a proper BEV. Put differently, it's a "hedging" concept - comfortingly familiar/assuring for the eventual longer trip, yet with enough "green" credentials for the daily commute. I do not deny that a hypothetical target owner exists, but I am convinced that for most buyers/drivers being honest with themselves, their ideal vehicle would be either an ICE or a BEV.
- lastly, a word about technological advancements: a few months ago, the introduction of solid state batteries was imminent; now you'd think no manufacturer* will build another EV this year. Opinions vary, especially strong ones. And besides, the fact that someone sells a better/larger battery doesn't render your car obsolete.

*With the exception of Tesla and the Chinese manufacturers.

 

[McgR]

Like mentioned above why do you have range anxiety when you drive less than 30 miles a day in general and you do have an X5 hybrid anyway for longer trips?

 

[007]

Like mentioned above why do you have range anxiety when you drive less than 30 miles a day in general and you do have an X5 hybrid anyway for longer trips?

I’VE GOT 99 PROBLEMS & ANXIETY IS LITERALLY ALL OF THEM.

 

[Crazymind]

Hybrid is perfect for taxi drivers, grannies and School runs. Other than that my impression is that any hybrid version of ICE cars is worse than ICE cars. Take the Merc GLE, almost bought one Hybdrid. I test drove the ICE first. Great Suv, super comfy and decent around corners. Drive the Hybrid and the suspension comfort drops, steering gets harder and cornering is awkward. To me Hybrid is a no go.

 

[andb]

I still own a 2018 Panamera Turbo S Hybrid, very fast car in sport mode but in electric drive is underpowered for the weight. I mean its good for around town but boring at the same time.
In your case I'll take a regular ICE or if you can wait for next gen hybrids, they will have 50 miles of range and more power.

 

[or1]

I have only used hybrids as loaners, and it's a few years back. Was very far from happy with them, their stop-start algorithm for the engine was silly. (That may be better now.)
Also on a more philosophical note, I think (like WasserGKuehlt) that hybrid is more "worst of both worlds" than best of. Double system, double trouble. An EV works fine for me (I'm in Norway, that takes away almost all range anxiety and much of the inconvenience), but if it hadn't I would definitely have used a pure ICE drivetrain, not a cludge.

 

[Caraholic]

Would keep the Taycan without question. Not sure why you have range anxiety based off your 30 miles a day comment. Maybe there is more to this that you haven’t stated. To me the Taycan drives a lot better, looks better, and is always topped off.
Also if you’re worried about depreciation both cars are terrible decisions new. You will also loose a large chunk selling your Taycan so soon. Then add on another large depreciation drop on a new hybrid Panamera.
Hybrids for me are the worst of both worlds. Extremely complicated for a small electric range and small performance boost. If you don’t like electric just go straight ice.

 

[f1eng]

having never driven a hybrid, my impression of the concept is actually the opposite of "best of both worlds": they're still not beyond the "big bills" inherent with ageing ICEs, and they're not delivering the full efficiency of a proper BEV. Put differently, it's a "hedging" concept - comfortingly familiar/assuring for the eventual longer trip, yet with enough "green" credentials for the daily commute. I do not deny that a hypothetical target owner exists, but I am convinced that for most buyers/drivers being honest with themselves, their ideal vehicle would be either an ICE or a BEV.

I bought a Toyota Prius in 2005.

It was only because I was both interested in and impressed by the way the transmission blended the 2 power plants and also they used the benefit of electronic control to make it a CVT and both in simulation and subsequently in tests a CVT was a worthwhile improvement on a Formula 1 car.
I genuinely was interested by how the CVT felt but as a petrol head with 3 V8s in my garage I didn’t expect to keep it long.

Anyway, the CVT takes getting used to and I understand why it being so unfamiliar many don’t feel comfortable with it - I may well have been the same without the modelling and test results confirming its superiority.

The Prius turned out to be a delight, extremely spacious and ideal for taking my then ageing mother around and in the end I found it ideal as a daily, certainly no sports car but ideal for our every day use and the V8s tended to stay in the garage.

After 7 years use I bought a plug-in hybrid version and my daughter took the old one. It is still being used as an economical daily by her family and is still on its original traction battery. The small 12V battery was a bit of a weak point since leaving an internal light on flattens it - a big battery isn’t needed for a starter motor but it is for a forgetful wife…

We now have a second plug in which has a longer EV only range and an electric climate control so petrol almost never needed. It is roomier and easier to park than the Taycan and my dog seems to prefer it, if I open both tailgates he jumps into the Prius - perhaps because he can see out whilst lying down.

Anyway whilst I take your point about hybrids in general - they usually just add an electric motor and battery but still have the heavy transmission etc so generally a heavy complex solution - the Toyota and Lexus systems are both IMO and IME excellent, light, simple and clever and Lexus even have a mode to make the CVT work less well but sound more conventional for old people hard of understanding

 

[tutis]

If you still love your existing Panamera, why don't you get an extended warranty from Porsche? It costs around $3k for 2 years

 

[BigBob]

I had a new platinum edition panamera hybrid as a loan car. I thought it was really good, loved the boost button.

As mentioned by others, you're going to get a serious double dose of depreciation and is it much better/ a lot different than a taycan - no not really.