SaratogaLefty

My Panamera e-Hybrid is in the Body Shop being built. I went online to the California Air Resources Board website to see if the 2018 Panamera e-Hybrid will qualify for the green single occupant carpool lane use sticker. It was not listed so I called them directly. They told me Porsche has to submit a form for approval and then the vehicle will be included if it passes. The only 2018 vehicle(s) listed currently are the BMW 530e and 530e xDrive. Their electric only range is about the same (30 miles) as the Panamera e-Hybrid but there are many 2017 vehicles approved that can only go about 15 miles on electric only.
So I next contacted Porsche customer service in Atlanta and spoke with Whitney and her supervisor to try to find out if Porsche is going to submit the form to get approval. Their response was "we will enter your request into the system but we don't know who is responsible and if anything will actually be done". I then asked them if someone could get back to me to let me know what if anything is going to be done and I was told since they don't know who is responsible they won't be able to get back to me. Total nonsense and worthless information!!
I decided to send actual hard copy letters to Porsche management in Atlanta and Europe and I included a copy of the BMW approved form. Nothing complicated about it; Porsche just has to submit their information. I sent four letters addressed to top management in Stuttgart; Weissach; Leipzig; and Atlanta. Maybe somebody will respond. This will be my fourth Porsche and I am very disappointed in the customer service from Atlanta thus far!!

ajriches01

Wow that is very frustrating.

Have you tried the power of social media also? Message the Facebook wall and tweet them until you get a reply.

SaratogaLefty

aj,
Those are very good suggestions! I will wait a week or two to see if I do receive a reply. If I do I will post it here. If I don't I will take your advice and use Twitter and Facebook. I really don't understand why Porsche hasn't filled in the form and submitted it like BMW did. There is nothing complicated about it and once approved it will only be a positive for future sales. Personally I'm not sure I want to put those ugly green decals on the rear quarters of my car but I'd like to have the option to do so. Those living in LA and the Bay Area and dealing with the commute traffic will certainly be pleased. I'm retired so not that big a deal for me.

soCali

any news on this?

SaratogaLefty

So I have received positive responses from two different persons in Atlanta. There are two different issues that needed to be addressed.
1. The e-Hybrid Panamera should qualify for the Federal tax credit of $6711.50. I received an email response from a Senior Tax Specialist, CPA, at Porsche Cars North America, Inc. and he told me he is working on this with the IRS and will get back to me as soon as he receives approval.
2. The HOV Lane access issue also impacts the California State Tax rebate. I received an email from a different person at PCNA Atlanta and she also said she will get back to me after they review my request and decide how they are going to proceed.

I will keep the forum advised if/when I receive any further information.

ohjongwook

hi - any updates on this issue? it seems like e-hybrid is still not on the hov green sticker list. i checked with the local dealership guy and he told very unlikely that porsche will go thru the process. he was saying "the average buyer" don't care about the hov sticker...

SaratogaLefty

Okay, so the HOV situation according to a person I spoke with at CARB is that Porsche is not likely to be pursuing the necessary requirements to qualify for HOV or for the State rebate. That is unfortunate because there are other cars from BMW for instance that won't travel as far on electric only but they have been qualified. Not sure why Porsche is not willing to try but that appears to be the case.
The potentially good news is the tax specialist at PCNA is still working with the IRS to get them to approve the car for the $6700 tax credit. Still not done but hopefully will be completed before year end.
For whatever reason, the E-Hybrid does not seem to be getting the needed support that the other Panamera models have received. My car has been at the San Diego port since 9/15 and the CARB has still not received the necessary paperwork to have it released. Once they receive it they will probably take about a month to certify the car so best case at this point is looking like mid November for a car I put my deposit down on in March and which actually completed being built in June!!

ohjongwook

i am glad i am not the only one who is frustrated. i need to commute to sf from east bay and i would love to use e-hybrid as my daily commuter. i just don't understand why they wouldn't do this for buyers who want this. i am sure the other average porsche buyers also don't mind saving money sometimes. i might just have to buy the usual tesla or other cars that qualify for HOV. i love porsche but i hate being stuck in traffic.

extanker

the nerve of those peasants denying you preferred status in kali ......march right down to the carb office and explain to those mortals that these cars are made by and for the gods. You could also just drive in the me me lane and dare a cop to give you at ticket ....ask the cop "do you know who i am " get back to us on that and your tax rebate

wmfrog

Please post the mail addressees, emails, and phone numbers of your contacts at Porsche. Perhaps if the rest of us all write and call, they will realize what an embarrassment their lethargy is for the company (and what an insult it is to their customers)!

turbodogs02

It does seem peculiar that Porsche wouldn't pursue this. I would think California would comprise a fair amount of sales, and with the greatest percentage of sales going to the SUV/Panamera lines, there wouldn't even be a question. Wasn't there something about the hybrid system being brought into the Macan line as well?

I agree that maybe with more voices, Porsche will come up with a better response.

SaratogaLefty

The message below is what I received on July 13th from PCNA:

Please see attached communication, in response to your communications to Porsche Cars North America/ Porsche Automotive Group:

"Thank you for your letter detailing your request for an "Access Okay Clean Air Vehicle" decal for your Panamera 4 E-Hybrid. As the individual responsible for Porsche customer service in your area, I am responding to your request for assistance.
Unfortunately, after thoroughly researching this matter Porsche Cars North America will not be able to submit an application to the California Air Resource. The Hybrid is a low emission vehicle but does not meet the qualifications for an ultra-low emission vehicle, as is required by the state of California in order to use the HOV lane. These standards are constantly becoming stricter every year and are quickly approaching being limited to strictly no emission vehicles.
We do sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at your convenience.





Best regards / Mit freundlichen Grüßen,


Shannon Mitchell-Curtis
Senior CC Specialist (Area West)
Porsche Cars North America
One Porsche Drive
Atlanta, GA 30354
770-290-3585
Email: Shannon.Mitchell@Porsche.us201707131642.pdf

I find it interesting that the 2018 BMW 530e and 530e xDrive as well as the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid have qualified but neither can go as far on electric only.

SaratogaLefty

Also I should have mentioned the BMW models have a 2.0 liter gas engine and the Chrysler Pacifica has a 3.6 liter gas engine.

Meanwhile Porsche still hasn't submitted the necessary test data paperwork to allow the CARB to certify the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid and mine has been sitting at the San Diego port for almost three weeks thus far!!!

SaratogaLefty

Here is the link to the CARB website that shows the 2018 vehicles that have been qualified for the green HOV sticker thus far:

https://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/carpool/carpool.htm

Jamie Lynn

Apparently they havent been to Silicon Valley where the average buyer wants a nice car and to be in the HOV lane. Sitting over here driving my VOLT, just waiting for Porsche to make the CA emissions HOV lane status.