Even though it is a wholly owned brand within the broader VW Group, Porsche must stand on its own merits. Even minor upgrades need to be costed out carefully and entirely new models need to satisfy case parameters set by both its parent company and its own management. Having worked extensively and expensively (Euros 6bn) on its electrification programme, the 2,295kgs Taycan is the most advanced EV on sale today.
Featuring four-wheel drive, thanks to an innovative electric motor on each axle, the drive modules have THE highest power density of any EV currently on sale. However, the Taycan also features a two-speed transmission, also a first; with the lower ratio providing punchier acceleration and the longer ratio providing both high efficiency and high power reserves. The brake energy recovery system is so advanced that 90% of all braking is carried out, without resorting to the conventional all-disc system. Two Taycan models are available, Turbo and Turbo S, with the Cross Turismo (SUV) version due by the end of 2020.
As a technological tour de force, the figures tell only part of the story: on tap is up to 755bhp (Turbo: 675bhp), with zero CO2 emissions, covering the 0-60mph sprint in 2.5s (Turbo: 2.9s), with a 260 miles range (Turbo: 296 miles) and a top speed for both models of 164mph. As the first production car possessing a system voltage of 800v, rather than the more customary 400v, Taycan drivers can DC recharge the battery packs for just over 60 miles in around 5 minutes. An 80% recharge at a public access point takes just 22.5 minutes. Of course, the Taycan can also be fully charged domestically.
Unmistakable styling cues abound around the Taycan, with both the side window lines, the contoured front wings and the slope of the tailgate being recognisably reverent nods to Porsche’s past. Yet, the aerodynamic door handles and the muscularity of the overall outline, which contribute to its wind cheating Cd value of just 0.22, are purpose designed to maximise the overall efficiency of the Taycan by helping it to cleave through still air and extend its usable mileage.
Yet, the innovations keep coming, most notably in the cockpit, where leather is no longer an option, replaced by a new synthetic fabric produced from a cocktail of recycled plastics and other fibrous mass. Footwells are carved carefully into the battery-laden floor-pan, to provide space and easier access, while an 81-litre front boot supplements the 366-litres capacity at the opposite end.
Air-suspended by adaptive and semi-active means, electromechanical roll stabilisation also incorporates a torque vectoring system that provides the Taycan with exceptional levels of traction and handling agility. Four driver selectable driving modes, Range, Normal, Sport and Sport Plus, are available that can be tailored, when using the additional Individual setting.
