German automobile manufacturer Porsche, has invested more than a billion dollars into making its first all-electric vehicle, a glistening four-door model that points at the beginning of a new episode and perhaps its biggest venture in more than a generation.
On Wednesday, in three simultaneous events in Canada, China and Germany, Porsche finally introduced the world to its masterpiece that has been lurking behind for more than four years. This new addition to the Porsche family was welcomed through a splashy launch event, held in a building erected just for the occasion on the edge of Niagara Falls.
The Porsche Taycan Turbo S and Porsche Taycan Turbo, are two electric pieces of pure art with the styling, efficacy and performance one would expect from the German automaker. These provide a range between 250 and 280 miles, depending on the variant.
With base prices of $185,000 and $150,900, respectively, both of these Taycan beasts fall into the higher price bracket and of course more powerful division of Porsche’s upcoming portfolio .
Porsche had held all three of its Taycan events near renewable energy installments — hydro-power at Niagara Falls in Canada, solar in Neuhardenberg near Berlin and a wind farm on Pingtan Island, close enough to the Chinese city of Fuzhou — a physical indication of the automaker’s move to electrification.
Detlev Von Platen, Porsche AG board member of sales and marketing said during a presentation, “The Taycan stands for the change necessary for Porsche to remain Porsche.” According to him, by 2025, half of all Porsche cars will be electrified.
Oliver Blume confirmed that cheaper variants will be added in the following year and its first derivative will take the name ‘Taycan Cross Turismo‘ as it joins the new family of electric-powered vehicles. The Cross Turismo is all about lifestyle. Porsche describes it as a cross-utility vehicle (CUV).
Both the Porsche Taycan Turbo S and Porsche Taycan Turbo are outfitted with two electric motors, one on the front axle and one on the rear axle, a two-speed transmission installed on the rear axle, and an 800-volt architecture — the same technology that helped the company’s 919 Hybrid win the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times in a row.
Inspired from its own 1963 Porsche 911, the Taycan saloon is all about lifestyle, it includes a sleek all-digital dashboard ,a big and low stance with a body line; the body of the Taycan is wide and flat with modelled wings and a sporty roof that slopes down to the classic Porsche rear.
The more expensive Turbo S version of the Taycan generates up to 750 horsepower (560 kW) along with “launch control” and overboost features that shifts into accelerating from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 2.8 seconds. The Taycan Turbo can produce up to 670 horsepower (500 kW), allowing it to go from a 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds. Both vehicles have a top track speed of 161 mph.
Stefan Weckbach, vice president of the Taycan and Porsche Battery Electric Vehicle Product Line said, ” The Taycan is ready for the race tarck “.
There’s the 800 volt system, twice the 400 volt architecture found in other electric vehicles. The 800-volt system will charge the Taycan from 5% to 80% in 22.5 minutes with a maximum charging power of up to 270 kW. “The vehicle’s 800-volt system will allow the Taycan to add 62 miles of charge in a snappy 5 minutes” , Weckbach said.
Porsche is giving away three years of free charging at hundreds of Electrify America public stations that will blanket the U.S. in the upcoming months.
