It is believed that Porsche is planning to introduce a plug-in hybrid version of the Porsche Panamera sedan some time in mid-2013, and it will be sharing a lot of its underpinnings with the Porsche Panamera S Hybrid. According to several reliable sources, Volkswagen AG, which owns 49.9 percent of Porsche’s sports car business, will also be rolling out plug-in hybrid versions of the Audi Q7 crossover and European-sold VW Passat starting some time in 2014 or 2015.

“We are really convinced that the future of hybrids won’t be pure hybrids, but the plug-in hybrids,” said Rudolf Krebs, VW’s group chief officer for electric traction. The Panamera plug-in hybrid is expected to be powered by a direct-injected supercharged V6 engine, along with an electric motor for shorter distances. The Porsche Panamera Plug-in Hybrid will come with an additional main charger, and it is believed that the small nickel-metal hybrid battery will now be replaced by a larger lithium-ion unit.  More details regarding the plug-in hybrid will be publicized closer to the launch of the vehicle.