Despite the fact that no Taycan carries a turbocharger, Porsche has announced the arrival of the first two models, the highest performance and most expensive examples, as Turbo and Turbo S. If you disregard the name, the new Taycan is an exciting new direction for Porsche. The kind of straight line performance that an EV can provide is otherworldly, as the Turbo S has a high performance mode which can deliver 750 horsepower and sprint from 0-60 in just 2.6 seconds. Plus, with the batteries in the floor, the Taycan’s center of gravity is much lower than even the current 911.
“The Taycan links our heritage to the future. It carries forward the success story of our brand – a brand that has fascinated and thrilled people the world over for more than 70 years,” said Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG, who opened the world premiere in Berlin: “This day marks the start of a new era.”
As Porsches go, the Taycan has survived quite well in the transition from concept to production spec. The wild floating headlights and the low lithe roofline remain intact, as do the two-tone color matched wheels, which is totally awesome.
The current entry-level Taycan is the Turbo model, which features a 670 horsepower mode, and sprints zero to 60 in 3.0 seconds. The new Taycan will feature a 2-speed transmission to provide quick acceleration around town and still allow the car to perform as a German sports machine should on the Autobahn. Both the Turbo and Turbo S have AWD twin-motor powertrains and are capped at a top speed of 161 miles per hour.
One thing EV buyers are concerned about is range. Porsche doesn’t seem to be concerned about this, as the Turbo is rated at 280 miles in WTLP testing, while the more powerful Turbo S is rated at around 255 miles. Even better than that, Porsche says just 5-minutes at a DC quick charging station will net drivers another 60 miles of driving range! You can also charge from 5% to 80% in just about 22 and a bit minutes.
If you want to Taycan one home, you can order one from your local dealer today with deliveries expected next year. The 750 horsepower and 774 lb-ft Taycan Turbo S will start at $186,350, and the 670 horespower and 626 lb-ft Taycan Turbo will run you $152,250 to start. With the kind of quality Porsche is known for, plus the fast charging times and infrastructure, the Taycan should be a knockout daily driver for anyone considering swapping to EV power. And if you’re looking for something that sits a little higher, the Taycan Cross Turismo concept should be making its production debut next year as well.
Look out Tesla, you might just be in trouble!
