In 2019 Porsche released their first all-electric car, the Taycan. It was largely based on the 2015 Mission-E concept, a car that drew a lot of love and high-expectations from the media. Porsche made drivers cars, therefore, the Taycan was expected to have insane driving-dynamics. When the Taycan was put on sale in late 2019, it became an instant hit with the media. It handled like a sports car rather than a sedan. It was seen as the first electric car that was rewarding to drive. The first electric car to handle like a sports car. In fact, Porsche describes this car as good to drive as a 911.
The Taycan is not messing about. It’s a direct rival to the Model S and it’s a car that also threatens Tesla massively. It’s better built and is much sharper to drive. The Taycan is just the start of electrification for Porsche. The brand hopes to have an almost fully electric lineup by 2025-2030. Porsche could take the upper-hand in the luxury sector of the electric car market. Tesla is placed then in a difficult position.
Porsche for decades now has been one of the big guns within the industry. They’re a legendary brand therefore, any car they launch is taken very seriously. The Taycan aims to disrupt the main troublemaker. Tesla. The Taycan surely pushes them to the absolute edge. However, it does give Tesla a secret advantage.
The Model S sedan is due to a replacement. The Taycan gives Tesla an idea of where and what to improve. It gives them an idea of what customers actually want from a car. It also gives Tesla the choice of whether to rival cars within the luxury performance market or to rival cars in the mid-luxury sector. The war between Tesla and Porsche could become real. This is brilliant news then for enthusiasts.
Why do They Call it The Taycan Turbo When it’s Electric?
Ok, that’s quite a good question. Luckily it has an answer. The word “turbo” does not mean turbocharger anymore. According to Porsche, it just means fast. Yes, petrolheads will argue that is a complete lie but that’s Porsche’s naming system for you. But it does make sense to call the top models “turbo.” A turbocharger was added to a car to push more air into the engine making more power. Nowadays they are added for more efficiency reasons. However, back in the 1980s and 1990s the word Turbo was added to anything fast, expensive, or powerful. You had a turbo hairdryer, a turbo vacuum cleaner, and even a turbo washing machine.
The word “turbo” then is a household name for speed (literally). Hence the reasoning for the electric turbo Taycan. The Turbo Taycan is also very quick. In fact, the top model Taycan Turbo S is currently the fastest accelerating production Porsche. It hits 60 in 2.6 seconds before topping out at 162 mph. The motors produce 751hp and 774 lb-ft of torque. More than a Lamborghini Aventador SV then.
This car deserves the Porsche Turbo badge. It’s only fitted to Porsche’s fastest most expensive models, and this is by far one of them. The top-spec Turbo S model even has Carbon Ceramic Brakes as standard. This means its a sharp car that can stop very quickly. It’s good for the road and the track since it took the Nurburgring at 7 minutes and 42 seconds.
Do you need a combustion engine then to call your car a “turbo?” Clearly not then according to Porsche.
What’s the Range Like?
It’s pretty good. All the models are advertised to have a range way past 200 miles. However, some owners have reported their cars going further than expected. In some cases even double! It’s easy to live with then. Of course, if you drive it normally the range will be better, especially on highway runs. However, don’t expect anything fancy if you’re thrashing it around the track.
Tesla does have a massive upper-hand on vehicle range. The Model S has a range far further than any Taycan model. This is a huge setback for Porsche considering range is a huge counter-play within electric vehicles. Furthermore, charging is not even close to Tesla technology. The Taycan will take longer to charge and with the lower range, you will have to charge it more often.
You can get a fast home-charger but that’s expensive. The standard way of plugging it in at home via the mains is just too slow. Public chargers are also not as fast as Tesla’s supercharger network. However, we shouldn’t be too overly harsh on Porsche.
Porsche is owned by German giants VW who are also currently launching an array of electric cars. VW will make a faster charging network considering they are targeting Tesla direct within two brands (Audi and Porsche). Furthermore, VW wants to get back into the action. Since its 2015 emissions scandal, VW has never recovered back to its top influential status. At one point they were seen as the most environmental car brand, winning awards in every country. That’s all changed though.
Bill Gates has a Taycan. Two Tech Giants Combining.
Bill Gates did not waver at the Tesla trend at all. In fact, the Billionaire decided a Taycan was his environmental choice. He is a Porsche enthusiast after previously illegally importing a Porsche 959 in the late 1980s. Bill Gates is the number one man when it comes to technology. The founder of Microsoft he definitely knows a thing or two about technology. The Taycan is the ultimate gadget for him as its basically a computer on wheels.
Many tech YouTubers drive Teslas. It’s easy to see why since they update themselves and offer autopilot functions. However, one of the main men in Silicone valley prefers to drive a car from America’s biggest automotive rival. Germany. The Germans then have done a very good job of keeping an extremely loyal customer.
However, Gates did criticize the range. He thought it was way too low. Other than that though he loves it.
The Electric Car for Enthusiasts
We all know Porsche is an enthusiast brand. It has been for 70 plus years. They create joy in driving and put a beaming smile on your face. Tesla can make their cars faster and techier, but they’ll never win over the enthusiasts. The Taycan may be less practical than the Model S, but who cares? It’s a sportscar at the end of the day and its main selling point is to drive like a 911.
The Taycan really does push combustion vehicles out of the window. It gives enthusiasts a proper choice without compromising. If more cars like this were built (which they will be) electricity would be accepted more wide-spread. This car will cause wars between brands, ultimately this is exciting for us.
The future is electric for Porsche, and the Taycan is the first step.
Credits for featured image via: motor1.com