Inside story on Porsche’s EV
Next year is a big one for Porsche, as it launches its first pure-electric vehicle, the Taycan. David Linklater chats to Porsche people about it.
This month, Porsche Asia Pacific held its first-ever E-Performance Night event in Kuala Lumpur. It brought media together to drive some plug-in models, but also to talk about its Electric Vehicle (EV) technology past, present and future.
That’s the very near future in the case of the marque’s first-ever pureelectric vehicle, the Taycan (pronounced ‘‘tie-carn’’). We haven’t seen the finished car yet but it will be very close to the Mission E concept, first shown in 2015.
First, the basics: expect Taycan to sprint from 0-100kmh in 3.5 seconds and have a range of 500km.
While it can be charged at existing stations or at home, Porsche is also developing bespoke, 800-volt technology that will pump 100km range into the battery in just four minutes. Very high voltage also has the advantage of narrower, lighter cabling.
It’s basically an electric 911 sedan
Porsche is always banging on about all of its products being inspired by the 911 – everything from the duffle bag in its accessories range to the massive Cayenne SUV.
However, the connection is a lot less spurious with Taycan. Size-wise it fits right in between the 911 and Panamera, it’s definitely a sports car and if the Taycan-previewing Mission E concept is anything to go by, the finished product will be a lot like a futuristic four-door 911.
Why this body shape? ‘‘We didn’t want to create competition within our own range,’’ says Mayk Wienkoetter, PR manager for Taycan. ‘‘So we didn’t go for an SUV, because we already have the Macan and Cayenne.
‘‘We wanted to find a white spot on the map [where a Porsche product doesn’t currently exist]. This is right below the Panamera and we think it’s a very suitable addition to our portfolio.
‘‘It’s very short, with a sporty frontal section.’’
Wienkoetter also says the driving position in Taycan is very similar to that in the current 911. And because