For the automotive industry, it seems pretty apparent that the future is electric. With the public’s increasing awareness of the dangers of carbon emissions, electric cars have become markedly more popular. The stunning success of Tesla best exemplifies this trend. So, too, is the fact that many other car manufacturers have introduced their own electric cars as well.
The looming decline in popularity of gas guzzlers have put the sports car icons on notice, and the Porsche brand has certainly not stuck its head in the sand. They’ve offered hybrid cars before, but they’ve also spent lots of money to introduce the paradigm-shifting Taycan.
Taycan Specs
The Taycan is the first fully electric car, and it’s currently available in 5 different models.
- MY21 Taycan
- MY21 Taycan with Performance Battery Plus
- MY21 Taycan 4S
- MY21 Taycan with Performance Battery Plus
- MY21 Taycan Turbo with Performance Battery Plus
- MY21 Taycan Turbo S with Performance Battery Plus
It’s highly regarded, as it has received about 50 international awards so far. It’s a dazzling sports car, but then it’s from the Porsche brand.
The estimated ranges for these electric cars go from 199 miles (for the MY21 Taycan 4S) up to 227 miles (for the MY21 Taycan 4S with Performance Battery Plus). It doesn’t take long to recharge, as you can use the common 400-volt DC fast chargers to get from 5% battery power up to 80% in about 93 minutes. But if you use the 800-volt DC fast chargers, you can cut down that time to only 23 minutes.
The Porsche Charging Service provides 3 years’ free access to the specified partner networks for Porsche Taycan customers. Here, they enjoy discounts when charging their vehicles.
Horsepower ranges from 402 hp to a mind-boggling 751 hp, while the torque ranges from 254 lb-ft to 774 lb-ft. It’s an extremely engaging car, as it combines performance endurance with driving vigor. Its appearance is sure to turn heads (it’s a Porsche, after all), but its performance is just terrific. Most of these cars use 2 electric motors, with one powering the front wheels and the other for the rear wheels.
The base model is certainly fast. It needs just 5.1 seconds to go from zero to 60 mph, with a top speed of 143 mph. The most impressive performance is from the Taycan Turbo S, as it can get to 60 mph in just 2.6 seconds. It can also reach speeds of up to 162 mph.
All the Taycans have the special 2-speed transmission. The first gear offers the optimal acceleration while the second gear delivers the top speed with efficient power use. The battery pack itself keeps the center of gravity low, even as it acts as a structural chassis component.
While the Taycan cars (especially the Taycan Turbo S) are basically rocket ships, they’re also great in maintaining handling performance even during acceleration. That’s a marked improvement over the Tesla Model S.
In addition, it’s very comfortable to drive and ride in (especially when compared to other Porsche models). The ride you get won’t feel harsh or stiff, even with 21-inch wheels.
Taycan Sales
The sales of the Taycan have been a surprisingly stupendous success, as sales have matched that of the ever-popular Porsche 911. Porsche’s goal for the Taycan was to sell 20,000 units for 2020. The car brand actually met this goal, despite the Covid challenge and the ensuing lockdowns and economic slump.
Sales have continued to rise in 2021, as Porsche sold 9,072 Taycan cars in just the first quarter alone. To put that figure in proper perspective, the Porsche brand sold 9,133 units of the 911. That’s just 61 units more than the Taycan.
About one-third of all Porsche sales in Europe in 2020 actually involved electric cars. Half of those sales were of fully electric cars. That’s a 60% increase from 2019 sales figures.
The Future of Porsche
Porsche executives estimate that by 2025, around half of all Porsche car sales will involve electric cars. By about 2030, they fully expect that percentage to rise to at least 80% of all Porsche sales. Most of these cars will be fully electric. Sporty plug-in hybrids will comprise the rest.
It’s true that the Taycan is the first fully electric car that the Porsche brand has introduced. But it seems clear that it won’t be the last. The first Taycan cars were all saloon models, but the recently introduced Taycan Cross Turismo is an estate model. There will also be convertible Taycans along with 2-door coupes.
Future buyers want electric cars, and Porsche will deliver what they want. In addition, these cars all come with the trademark features that Porsche is known for: quick speed, terrific handling, and impressive looks.
For Porsche, the future looks very bright indeed.
