Taycan nearly ready

PORSCHE is not due to reveal its fully-electric Taycan four-door until September this year, but it has already given prospective customers a sneak peak at their new car through the official design sketches that you see here.

And, as Porsche brags, there is no shortage of interest in the Taycan - with over 20 000 ‘prospective customers’ having already put down a deposit of 2500 euros (R40 000) to get their names onto the list.

The exact design might still be under wraps (albeit it shouldn’t stray too far from these sketches) but Porsche has already spilled the beans on much of its technical makeup and performance potential.

The Taycan is powered by two electric motors - one on each axle for all-wheel-drive capability. The powertrain delivers a combined output of 440kW, allowing for a claimed 0-100km/h sprint in the region of 3.5 seconds, with 200km/h coming up in less than 12 seconds.

But how far will it go between charges? Porsche quotes a range of 500km on the NEDC cycle, although in real-world driving (particularly when ‘real’ involves exploring that aforementioned performance potential, as most owners will) it’s likely to be a bit less than that.

The Taycan battery runs at 800 volts rather than the industry-standard 400 volts, which is said to allow for particularly fast charging, when using Porsche’s special charger, of course.

But ultimately, to steal a tag line from another premium carmaker, Porsche is taking a best-or-nothing approach to its battery-powered four-door, as Executive Board member Detlev von Platen puts it:

“The Taycan will be the most sporty and most technically advanced vehicle in its segment – a true Porsche.”