Porsche presented its first fully electric sports car to the public with a spectacular world premiere on three continents.
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The Taycan is the first production vehicle with a system voltage of 800 volts instead of the usual 400 volts for electric cars. This is a particular advantage for Taycan drivers on the road: in just over five minutes, the battery can be recharged using direct current (DC) from the high-power charging network for a range of up to 100 kilometres (according to WLTP). The charging time for five to 80 percent SoC (state of charge) is 22.5 minutes for charging under ideal conditions, and the maximum charging power (peak) is 270 kW.
The overall capacity of the Performance Battery Plus is 93.4 kWh. Taycan drivers can comfortably charge their cars with up to 9.6 kW of alternating current (AC) at home. The first models in the new series are the Taycan Turbo S and Taycan Turbo. They are at the cutting edge of Porsche E-Performance and are among the most powerful production models that the sports car manufacturer currently has in its product range. Less powerful variants of these all-wheel drive vehicles will follow this year.
The flagship Turbo S version of the Taycan can generate up to 560 kW (750 HP) overboost power in combination with Launch Control, and the Taycan Turbo up to 500 kW (670 HP). The Taycan Turbo S accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds, while the Taycan Turbo completes this sprint in 3.2 seconds. The top speed of both all-wheel-drive models is 260 km/h. With its clean, puristic design, the Taycan signals the beginning of a new era. At the same time, it retains the unmistakable Porsche design.
The cockpit signals the start of a new era with its clear structure and a completely new architecture. The freestanding, curved instrument cluster forms the highest point on the dashboard. This places a clear focus on the driver axis. A central, 10.9-inch infotainment display and an optional passenger display are combined to form an integrated glass band in a black-panel look. All user interfaces have been completely newly designed for the Taycan. The number of classic hardware controls such as switches and buttons has been greatly reduced. ■
