The charismatic bow tie enthusiast, Bill Nye (science guy), has been inspiring younger generations since, well, since my generation was a younger generation. His interesting delivery style and an uncanny ability to make the science seem both palatable and interesting at the same time is the key to his success. If you need something high tech and science-y explained in a way that an average Joe like me can understand it, Nye is your — well, he’s your guy.
It only seems natural, then, that Porsche picked up Nye for a day of science experiments and fun with its all-electric super sports sedan at the southern California Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles. Here are five brand-new videos which help explain how the Taycan does what it does. Performance and efficiency are sometimes difficult things to understand, but I’ll be darned if he doesn’t manage to make it work.
The first video in this series is basically the thesis statement for the whole shooting match. Nye explains that Porsche’s Taycan Turbo S is capable of sub-three-second 0-60 times every single time you launch the thing. It’s ready to rock ’n’ roll every second of every day, because it’s aerodynamic, it has great regenerative braking, it uses an 800V architecture, and it has a two-speed rear gearbox. How do those all interact with each other? Press play and find out.
The Taycan is among the most aerodynamically efficient shapes on the road today. With a coefficient of drag rated at just 0.22, it’s really slippery. This means it can shoot through the air like an arrow. Or a drop of rain.
The Taycan’s regenerative braking works at a higher voltage because that’s just how great it has been engineered. The car is able to recuperate more of its kinetic energy into potential energy, meaning it’ll go longer on a charge and have more juice for longer.
Higher voltage means better performance. It’s just that simple. The Taycan is able to shove more of its electrons through the wire at a faster rate, meaning big skids. Cool!
This is a really simple explanation of why extra gears are usually a good thing. Many electric cars do fine with just one gear in a reduction box, but Porsche uses two. For reasons. Also, you get to see Nye miss a shift into third in an old Carrera 3.2 Cabriolet, which is always fun.
There. Wasn’t that fun? Now you understand just a little bit more about Porsche’s wonderful Taycan electric sedan.