When it comes to comfortable Porsche performance for the whole family, do you really need to go all-in on electric and get yourself a Taycan 4S, or would you be better off getting a bigger Panamera wagon with slightly less acceleration but more room to bring stuff along with you? That’s the question that Harry Metcalfe posits in this week’s episode of Harry’s Garage.
This plum-colored German UberWagon makes a great case for itself, when you really think about it. For one thing, the Taycan and the hybrid Pana make around the same power with the full EV putting down 562 horsepower (with overboost) and 479 lb-ft of torque, while the Panamera 4S E-Hybrid can run 552 horsepower and 553 pounds-feet of torque. Both of these mega machines run from 0-60 in under 4 seconds, and both cost in the low six figures. The Panamera will probably be a smidge more expensive, but final MSRP hasn’t been announced yet.
If you’re primarily going on short journeys in town or what have you, the Panamera will likely spend much of its time in full electric mode anyway. If you plug in the car overnight, you’ll wake up with around 30 miles of EV range, which is more than enough for 90% of journeys in America. The difference here, however, is that when you want to go on a long-distance cross-country haul, which is pretty much what the Panamera is for, you still have a gasoline engine under the hood to help get you there. Sounds like the best of both worlds, right?
We already know that Harry has been slightly critical of electric cars in the past, so it’s no surprise that he’s calling this one for the Panamera. It’s a heck of a car, obviously, but if you want a sporty driving experience, the Taycan is for sure the way to go. Add in the rapid charging network which allows that car to charge up super quick, and you’re not going to want to visit a gas station any time soon. If you aren’t ready to abandon gasoline just yet, this is a good intermediate step, especially if you’re hauling your family and all of your gear along for the ride.