Porsche has officially introduced its first fully-electric sports car, the 2020 Porsche Taycan (TIE-kahn). The Taycan will help push Porsche into the future. The first models to be introduced are The Taycan Turbo S and the Taycan Turbo. There will be less powerful models available including the wagon Taycan Cross Turismo.
The Taycan Turbo S will produce an astounding 750 horsepower and 774 lb-ft of torque. The Taycan Turbo will have 670 horsepower and 626 lb-ft of torque. These numbers are only good for a couple of seconds while the vehicle is in overboost. Otherwise, both the Turbo and Turbo S make 616 horsepower. Aided by all-wheel drive, 0-60 mph times will be 2.6 and 3.0 seconds. The top speed for both models is 161 mph.
Using an 800-volt system, 400 volts is more common, the Taycan can charge from 5 to 80 percent State of Charge in under 23 minutes. The Turbo S has a range of up to 256 miles and the Turbo has a range of up to 279 miles.
The design is instantly recognizable as a Porsche. The sleek profile has a coefficient of drag value as low as 0.22. The interior gets a floating curved instrument cluster, a 10.9-inch infotainment display, and an optional display for passengers. Combined these displays form a string of glass across the dash. Almost all the controls are now touch operated or can be voice operated using the “Hey Porsche” command.
There is an option to have a completely leather free interior for those who are sustainability conscious. The front luggage compartment has a capacity of 2.8 cubic feet and the rear storage capacity is 12.9 cubic feet.
Two electric motors, one up front and one in the rear, make the cars all-wheel drive. The Turbo S model has a larger inverter on the front motor which adds the additional thrust over the Turbo. There is a two-speed transmission. First gear allows for incredible acceleration and second gear allows for higher efficiency and power reserves. The battery pack is a 93-kilowatt-hour lithium ion setup.
The 2020 Porsche Taycan has an advanced chassis control system that is synced and analyzed by the integrated Porsche 4D Chassis Control. The system includes adaptive air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) electronic damper control, optional Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control Sport (PDCC Sport) electromechanical roll stabilization system with Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus). Almost 90 percent of everyday braking is performed by the electric motors, which helps with power recuperation. There are four driving modes that include Normal, Sport, Sport Plus, and Range. There is also an Individual mode for personalized configuration.
Prices start at $150,900 for the Taycan Turbo and $185,000 for the Taycan Turbo S. Compare that to the Tesla Model S, which comes in at just above $100,000.
