Porsche Taycan: first look

Porsche Taycan: first look

Last week Porsche unveiled their first all-electric sports car to the public, and it looks set to cause a stir in the e-automotive world (or should that be i-automotive…) – with the launch event taking place simultaneously on three continents.

Electric cars are slowly becoming the latest motoring must-have, with companies showing year-on-year why the future of cars certainly looks green.

Introducing, the Porsche Taycan.

With all the latest cutting-edge technology in e-Performance, the Taycan Turbo S and the Taycan Turbo are two of the most powerful production models that Porsche have ever offered. With the Taycan Turbo offering 671bhp and the Taycan Turbo S producing a staggering 751bhp, the Taycan is a guaranteed powerhouse in the e-automotive world.

The Taycan Turbo S in numbers

  • 2.6 seconds to 60 mph
  • 162 mph       
  • 751 bhp
  • 2,295 kg “dry” weight
  • £138,826 RRP

Design

“The beginning of a new era” is how the Taycan was described at its launch event, and a new era it is, but with the distinctive touch of Porsche style on the Taycan, it’s unmistakable as a member of the Porsche family. With a somewhat wider stance at the front, and the mean stare-down of the headlights, this is not your typical Porsche. With highly contoured wings, and a sporty roofline, the Taycan is a statement vehicle, and is certain to turn heads.

Performance

Economy is not something you’d usually look for in a sports car, but when you’re looking into an electric car, it’s something that you simply can’t ignore. A full charge from 0% to full on a Porsche Taycan Turbo S will cost you just £13.50. For an anticipated 248 miles, that isn’t bad going, especially when you compare it to a 911, where 248 miles would cost you, well, more. The Taycan also has a two-speed transmission, with one on the front axle and one on the rear, making the Taycan all-wheel drive, it’s safe to say you’ll certainly feel some pull no matter the weather.

Technology

An all-new electronic sports car wouldn’t be complete without top-of-the-range gadgets on the inside, and Porsche fail to disappoint, with a wide display screen band in the cockpit. The 10.9” infotainment display, with an optional passenger display, offers an all-new look to the interior, with a whole new interface created just for the Taycan.

Verdict

What’s not to like? Fast, stylish and less pious than a Prius.

The Taycan pip’s the GT3 in price, and pace too and even has a little soul.

We’re a fan, and with release due in early 2020, Porsche is already allowing buyers to register interest in what is guaranteed to be a highly sought after vehicle, not only in the electric vehicle market.

Electrifying Porsche – the numbers

  • €6,000,000,000 investment by Porsche for electric mobility (until 2022).
  • More than €700,000,000 investment for the Taycan factory in Zuffenhausen.
  • 1,500 new employees in Zuffenhausen for Taycan and Taycan Cross Turismo.
  • The structurally created volume of the new Taycan factory measures 1,800,000 m3. This corresponds to about 75 percent of the volume of the pyramid of Cheops.
  • Less than 48 months between the trade fair premiere of the Mission E Concept Study and the opening of the Taycan factory.
  • 0 g Porsche manufactures CO₂-neutral in Zuffenhausen.

All images courtesy of Porsche AG