PORSCHE TAYCAN REVEALED!

Turbo and Turbo S models expected in Australia in 2020

Porsche hasn’t been keeping it a secret that they have been working on a fully electric model. In 2015 the Mission E was revealed as a concept of what a zero-emission sports car would look like from the Stuttgart company. After years of development, promotional teases and over 30,000 pre-orders worldwide the wraps were off the Porsche Taycan Turbo and Taycan Turbo S.

Visually, the Taycan lost the wide wheel arches and suicide doors but improved on almost all performance factors. The Taycan Turbo and Turbo S produce 500kW/850Nm and 560kW/1050Nm respectively, up from 440kW of the concept car. 0-100km/h acceleration is not as fast as competitors like the Tesla Model S P100D but is still an incredible 2.8 seconds (Turbo S). Driving range from the 93.4kWh should see you achieving 412km and 450km. And to get it out of the way early, yes, Porsche decided to use Turbo in the name. A little confusing to some, but it follows the Porsche tradition of naming their top models as a Turbo – even now when their conventional line-up all feature turbochargers. There are definitely worse names being used by auto manufacturers.

Porsche is part of IONITY, a joint effort between BMW, Daimler (Mercedes-Benz), Ford, Hyundai, Kia and Volkswagen to enable 800-volt vehicles to charge faster than ever before through new charging networks. The

Taycan is the first production model to feature the 800V system, which claims to recharge a battery from 5% to 80% in just 22.5 minutes. The Lotus Evija is another model coming which features the faster-charging capability. Other production vehicles on the road at the moment feature a 400-volt charging system.

The interior is an evolution of the classic Porsche style, adding more digital displays to allow information to be shown to the driver and passengers. Especially since the Taycan Turbo S is the Nürburgring record holder for an electric car at 7 minutes 42 seconds, you can highlight to your passengers just how quick the car is!

That last sentence may have been a joke, but the record does showcase how much work has been done to ensure the Taycan performs like any other Porsche. Electric vehicles typically don’t like going fast for a long time, as they generate great amounts of heat and can’t cool down fast enough.

As you’ll see from this magazine alone, the number of electric cars arriving on the market is increasing rapidly. Pricing won’t be released until 2020 when the car is expected to launch in Australia, but it won’t be surprising if the build quality and enduring performance will be the benchmark for future luxury sports cars.