Porsche has recently unveiled its main Tesla rival. It’s Porsche’s first all-electric sports car that houses a mainstream battery. This is Porsche’s best attempt yet at challenging the Tesla dominated, premium electric car market. And they may have just pulled off a real winner. The Taycan is seriously dominating Porsche news as it sets to spearhead the luxury end of the market with a €50bn investment by parent company Volkswagen. Here’s a look at why the Taycan is making Porsche news.
Porsche’s Parent Company Is Switched On
VW is now the world’s largest car producer with 61 production plants and counting. They own an array of premium brands from Seat, Audi, and even Bentley. All very successful brands. They have a very clear goal in mind. By 2025, VW wants a quarter of its vehicle line up to run to be powered by batteries. Hold that thought, as Porsche’s ambitious goal, is for half their sports cars sold to be either pure electric or hybrid by 2025. They’ve willing to put their money behind this goal with a €6bn commitment towards electric technology by 2022. These commitments are a promising sign of a new era of motoring for Porsche.
CO2 Neutral
CO2 rules and regulations in Europe are becoming more stringent. Porsche is rising to the challenge when it comes to renewable energy. The Taycan’s launch enjoyed renewable energy landmarks including a Chinese wind farm, the Niagara Falls, and a German solar panel farm. Porsche is aiming for the Taycan to be completely CO2 neutral. In line with this goal, Porsche is making history as the first performance car brand to cut an internal combustion engine from a mainstream vehicle. Porsche has a rich heritage in performance car construction and may even have an advantage here over premium car brand, Tesla.
The Taycan Line-up
The Taycan boasts two variations including a more affordable Turbo model and a higher spec Turbo S variant. On sale for around the $150,000 and the $185,000 mark respectively, the Taycan is positioned well in comparison to the Tesla. The Taycan has managed to offset the weight of the batteries without compromising on performance. The Turbo S boasts a whopping 560 kW and 1050 Nm of torque. It will thunder from 0-62 mph in 2.8 seconds. This is nothing short of shocking, and positively so. The Taycan does all this while still maintaining a significant charge to up to 200 kph. The record-setting Taycan has recently set the record for the fastest lap around the Nürburgring ring by a four-door EV. It also boasts a solid range of around 450km on one charge. Porsche is currently working on installing a network of rapid charge ports. These will be able to replenish enough charge for an additional 100kms in only 5 minutes of charge time. This is mind-blowingly quick and makes long-distance trips more attainable.
Promising Porsche News For All The Right Reasons
The Porsche Taycan not only offers impressive performance for an electric car but is setting new standards in other areas too. With features such as Apple CarPlay, a three-screen dashboard, a spacious interior, and futuristic looks, the Taycan still offers everyday practicality and stellar handling. The Taycan has positioned itself as a rock-solid alternative to Tesla and should enjoy an increased share of the emerging electric performance car market. Besides, when Bill Gates decides to buy a Taycan over a Tesla, this makes Porsche news for all the right reasons.