Porsche Goes Back to the Future with Perfectly-Timed EV Charging Statistic

On the same day that Doc and Marty landed in the future, Porsche dropped a very cool tribute video about EV charging.

Anyone that has ever seen the iconic film Back to the Future (and isn’t that everyone?) knows very well what 1.21 gigawatts refers to – the amount of power Doc Brown‘s DeLorean time machine used to catapult himself and Marty McFly into the future and then back again. October 21, 2015, was the day they arrived in the future, so Porsche utilized that very same date, albeit in the current year of 2021, to point out an interesting and ironic EV charging statistic, as well as show off a pretty cool photo shoot and video linking the past and the present.

It may have nothing to do with a future Taycan capable of transporting you to the future, but Porsche would like to point out that together, the Electrify America and the European Ionity charging networks have 1.21 gigawatts of combined power on tap for the very first time, thanks to the rapid expansion of both, which now represent the largest DC fast charger network in the United States and Europe with 670 Electrify America and 372 Ionity locations containing more than 4,800 individual chargers.

The Taycan, of course, is capable of charging at lightning-fast speeds, going from a 5 percent to 80 percent charge in just 22 minutes courtesy of its 800-volt battery and 270 kW charge speed. Thanks to the Plug-and-Charge feature, owners can roll up, plug in, and then go on with their lives without having to fumble around with signing in to anything or pulling out their wallets.

To celebrate this occasion, Porsche found a very faithful Back to the Future DeLorean replica and used it to create this cool little video and stage a photo shoot with the new Taycan. The Porsche, as it turns out, is being driven by actor Donald Fullilove, who played Mayor Goldie Wilson in the movie and also just so happens to be an EV enthusiast in real life. There are plenty of other cool Easter eggs present in the clip that we won’t spoil because we’re certain that Back to the Future fans will enjoy trying to find them all themselves.

Photos: Porsche

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Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.
He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.