Will the Taycan Live Up to the Hype?
After a seeming eternity of leaked spy shots, the fully-electric Taycan is finally here — and with it, the very future of Porsche.
Given the incredible amount of hype generated up to this moment, the newly-revealed Porsche Taycan so far is something of a mixed bag.
On one hand, the performance stats are impressive. On the other hand though, the price is high, at least for the initial $153,310 Turbo and $187,610 Turbo S top-tier models, both of which are slated to go on sale by December. Lower priced models are on the way, but it’s going to take some serious work to get the entry level Taycan’s price closer to that of the Tesla Model S, which tops out right around the $100,000 mark. And the problem with that is that the performance of the entry-level Taycans will likely not be a match for that of the Teslas. I think Porsche’s metaphorical use of “Turbo” badging is odd by the way. Why not just stick with “S”, “GTS”, nomenclature instead?
While the performance numbers are more conservative than Tesla’s numbers for the Model S, they’re still highly impressive, particularly when you account for the Taycan’s 5081-lb curb weight. The Taycan Turbo’s dual electric motors pump out 616-hp and 627 lb/ft of torque, with horsepower climbing to 671 in Overboost mode. The Turbo S pumps out the same 616 hp, but the figure jumps to an impressive 751-hp with Overboost. The resultant 0-60 is an impressive 3.0 seconds for the Turbo and a gut-punching 2.6-seconds for the Turbo S. When it comes to the numbers, the Taycan should be more than adequate.
A key difference between the Taycan and products from Tesla is Porsche’s “repeatable performance” mantra, which Audi also heavily emphasizes with its E-Tron SUV. Porsche engineers ensured that the Taycan won’t suffer from the overheating issues that Teslas do after repeated acceleration runs. When it comes to handling, the Taycan will be even more impressive than the Panamera, thanks in large part to the lower center of gravity provided by the heavy battery mounted low in the chassis.
The EPA hasn’t given an official range for the Taycan, but on the European WLTP cycle the Turbo can go 280 miles on a full charge, with the Turbo S covering 256 miles. The EPA rating will likely be around 250 miles or less, judging from the ratings given to other EVs like the Audi E-Tron. Frankly those numbers don’t look impressive when compared with EPA estimates for the Tesla Model S Performance and Model S Long Range, which are 345 miles and 370 miles respectively. The Taycan’s inferior range will definitely be an issue for potential buyers, particularly when you take into account the North American charging infrastructure, which is still in its infancy.
Porsche engineers ensured that the Taycan won’t suffer from the overheating issues that Teslas do. When it comes to handling, the Taycan will be even more impressive than the Panamera, thanks in large part to the lower center of gravity.
VW’s Electrify America program is fast building new charging stations across the country, but talk to most potential EV buyers and range is a huge consideration. The general EV-buying public still suffers from a strong case of “range anxiety.”. It remains to be seen whether the Taycan’s low range figures will deliver sufficient “range tranquility” to purchasers of the Taycan. On the plus side, Porsche has engineered an impressive Charge Planner that takes much of the guesswork out of planning a route that will keep you on the road. But whether or not the Taycan’s range will prevent savvy EV buyers from defecting in large numbers from Tesla remains to be seen.
Styling-wise, the final version of the Taycan looks very, very good, though it’s not quite as striking as the Mission E concept that Porsche used in the run-up to the reveal of the actual production model. The Mission E was curvier and a bit slinkier than the finalized Taycan styling. Judging from photos, it is better looking than the Panamera though.
Styling-wise, the final version of the Taycan looks very, very good, though it’s not quite as striking as the Mission E concept that Porsche used in the run-up to the reveal of the actual production model.
With its short front overhang, low height and generous width, the Porsche Taycan looks closer to a four-door 911, which is certainly not a bad thing. I’m very interested to see how it looks in person. The cleanly-styled interior of the Taycan actually harkens back to 911s of old, with a similar gauge layout and dash design. As far as build quality, you can absolutely be assured that the Taycan will be far superior to offerings from Tesla, Jaguar and others. While Tesla in particular has certainly nailed the electric powerplant concept, the quality of their finished cars cannot match that of Porsche. Tesla has a lot of reasons to be very, very worried.
I vividly remember the first time I drove a Panamera GTS and how blown away I was. As the owner of a 1969 911T and a 1988 924S, I’m an old school Porsche fan through and through. I appreciate a lack of weight and complexity and how they can affect the driving experience. I couldn’t have been more wrong about the Panamera though. Here was a heavy, luxurious sedan that snarled like a supercar and cornered, stopped and changed direction in a nearly unfathomable manner considering it’s weight and dimensions.
The Taycan is going to be just as impressive, probably moreso. It will, without a doubt, be the most fun EV available anywhere for any amount of money. The Taycan represents a paradigm shift for Porsche and as such is a very big deal for the company. While it may be easy to criticize some of the ways Porsche has approached the Taycan in its final form, the company is extremely smart and innovative. It would be a huge mistake to underestimate what the future holds for electric Porsches.