The Porsche Taycan is turning out to be quite the record-breaker. From a Nürburgring ring record to a ‘Best car to buy in 2020’ nomination, the Porsche Taycan is leading the way. Is electric sports cars interest you, then keep on reading as we’ll be taking a look at why this amazing sports car is turning so many heads.
From Concept To Production
As a concept car in 2015, the Porsche Taycan came with high hopes. The propositions included a 600-horsepower electric motor, all-wheel steering, an 80% recharge time or under 15 minutes, and even a Nürburgring lap time of under 8 minutes. All housed within a sleek and sporty design in which you can immediately notice the four-point LED headlights. Originally dubbed as the Porsche Mission E Concept, the Taycan held on to its sporty lines while still holding onto the practicality of being a 4-seater car. The Taycan production model includes several screens in the cabin with the front passenger having a dedicated screen as well as a lower screen in the center to control climate settings. This advanced interface allows for vents to be positioned by using the touch screen. Another great feature is the automatic extending door handles which welcome you into a sporty interior cabin.
Ground-Breaking Power System
When it came to the power system, Porsche was up for the challenge of designing an 800-volt battery that could be rapidly charged. All while keeping off additional weight and cooling systems. Provided that you have a newer 350-kW Electrify America charger, or one of Porsche’s supplied charging units, the Taycan will charge from 5% to 80% in as little as 22.5 seconds. Don’t worry if you don’t have access to one of these lighting fast chargers as the standard 150-kW charger will do this in around 30 minutes. A bonus is that Porsche is offering three years of free charging after you buy a Taycan.
The Taycan Turbo S boasts a 0-60 mph in only 2.6 seconds. It did this by utilizing a unique two-speed dog-clutch gearbox on the rear motor. There’s no doubt that the 800-volt architecture gives the Taycan some serious grunt. However, the jury is still out on the Taycan’s efficiency. With most EPA range ratings not having been released yet, it’s hard to tell what the exact figures will be. But going on the released figure of just 201 miles for the Taycan turbo, the figures are yet promising.
Great All-Rounder
The Taycan is versatile on many different driving surfaces. From speed motorways of Germany and Denmark, gridlocked traffic in L.A., Snow-filled highways in Finland, and even Californian canyon road, the Taycan comes out tops. It’s proven itself as a joy to drive with a smooth ride and a lower driving position. This gives the driver the feeling of riding ‘in’ a car and not ‘on’ a car, which is the opposite of what some larger sedans do. With its environmentally friendly, yet incredibly powerful electric powertrain, the Taycan sets the level high for other sports car manufacturers to follow in.
Full Range Of Contenders
The full range of Taycan models come fitted with an all-wheel-drive system and come very close to the original 600-hp target. The Taycan Turbo and Turbo S stand out with an offering of 616-hp in standard driving mode. Switch to boost mode and the Turbo boasts 670-hp while the Turbo S sports a mind-blowing 750-hp. But perhaps the real star of the show is the more affordable Taycan 4S. With a starting price of $105,150 for the 79.2-kWh battery or $111,730 for the 93.4-kWh battery, the 4S models are likely to make up most of the sales. For this price, you are not only getting an electric sports car. You are getting a Porsche in all its awesomeness. It’s easy to see why the Porsche Taycan is a ‘best car to buy in 2020’ nominee.