Auto Channel

After showing off the Porsche Cayenne Hybrid prototype to journalists earlier this year, the German automaker has brought a production version of the SUV out for the public. Expected for delivery by the end of the decade, the new Cayenne Hybrid should see a 30% increase in fuel efficiency.

That means that Porsche, often accused by environmentalists for not wanting to make fuel consumption improvements to their vehicles, will put an SUV on the market getting roughly 26 miles per gallon.

But it was not just environmental concerns that led Porsche to create this vehicle. They claim that their full-hybrid design is more fuel efficient, and provides the driver with better acceleration than the current Cayenne.

"As both efficiency and perormance can be improved on the Cayenne with this system, it is the best fit for Porsche," a release from the company said.

Porsche positioned the electric motor directly between the combustion engine and the transmission, allowing the electric drivetrain to be more compatible with the Cayenne platform. A new onboard computer, dubbed "Hybrid Manager", constantly analyzes 20,000 different pieces of information to give the Cayenne Hybrid the best posssible performance.

Several different features in the car have been tweaked to help decrease fuel consumption. Air conditioning will now run on electric power, and a vacuum pump will be used in the braking system. Electro-hydraulic steering not only helps reduce use of fuel, but it also provides solid handling, according to the company.

Porsche also plans to make their hybrid technology available on the Panamera four-door Gran Turismo. The Panamera will be released in 2009, and the hybrid version should come out about a year later.