An electrifying experience with the Porsche Taycan
EVEN a global pandemic could not dampen the strong demand for Porsche’s electric Taycan, as the German giant announced the postponement of its launch last year to this year. As the global automotive industry buckled under the weight of the sweeping effects of Covid19, only Toyota, Tesla and Porsche remained robust.
So when the Gods at PGA Cars, the country’s exclusive Porsche distributor rang me up for a session with this innovative machine, this writer cancelled everything, including my scheduled laundry day just to not miss this opportunity. Questions started popping on my mind, and curiosity got the better of me, what is it about this amazing EV that rocked the automotive industry to its very foundations.
Braving early morning rush hour traffic, off I went to the Porsche fiefdom along EDSA Mandaluyong for my date with destiny. Greeting me with open arms was Brian Afuang, PGA’s corporate communications guru and a long-time friend from the media. This guy used to be on the trenches with me as we covered the motoring beat. Now, he’s wearing a suit and tie, while silly me was clad in typical “media” garb, a Porsche shirt (to be politically correct), blue jeans and driving shoes. After a technical presentation about the Taycan (pronounced as Tie-Can) Patrick To, Porsche PH Taycan Expert proceeded to acquaint me with the electric wonder on wheels. He was to be my nanny all throughout the drive.
Not to be fooled by its fourdoor configuration, the Taycan
Turbo S is a genuine sports car which is closely related to the Porsche 911. The cockpit of this EV blew me away. Inside this technologically advanced cocoon is a sleek tech-laden bubble, but simple in a Porsche kind of way. Its German so the inside is all business, no B.S. According to Patrick, the interior can be covered in a range of materials and there is a long list of luxury options. The Taycan comes standard with a 2 plus 2 seating configuration, and the rear seats have enough leg room even if Shaquille O Neal was the one driving up front.
Driving the Taycan Turbo S along EDSA can be quite scary for a salary man like me. For one, with a retail price of eight figures, it’s way above my pay grade. Second, the stares that you get from your fellow motorists can be quite uncomfortable, and like Moses parting the Red Sea, traffic gives way to you. You are a Rockstar on the road while driving this Porsche EV. Once we reached a deserted area around a posh neighborhood, I gave it a go and slammed the accelerator. Combined with the electric motors are a pulse-controlled inverter, and a two-speed transmission, all 761 P.S. were distributed down to the four wheels of the Taycan and we shot off like a bullet from a Glock pistol. The amazing thing was, there was no noise whatsoever, so the neighborhood was not disturbed at all. It has a top speed of 260km/h and under ideal conditions, driving range of the Taycan Turbo S can go as high as 412 kilometers (according to WLTP standards)—enough for several days’ worth of driving in Metro Manila. Also helping extend the range is the Taycan’s aerodynamic shape. electric vehicle with a system voltage of 800 volts instead of the usual 400 volts for electric cars. This results in quick charging times of five percent to 80% capacity in under 30 minutes when using a 175 kW DC charger. The Porsche Mobile Charger Connect, currently set up locally for up to 11 kW but in the future will be available for up to 22 kW of alternating current (AC), can be plugged into either of two ports located on the Taycan’s front fenders. The port on the right fender can be used for direct current (DC) charging. The systems are idiot proof.
My date with the Porsche Taycan ended with a sumptuous lunch at a Chinese restaurant in Greenhills, with Brian and some PGA executives joining us for some friendly banter and small talk about the EV market. It was an exhilarating experience that left me thinking. If this car represents the future of mobility, then Mother Earth has a good chance of survival. You are contributing to environmental preservation while looking good at the same time.