Porsche’s latest edition, the Porsche Taycan, is the company’s first ever all-electric car. Although it was first showcased at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor show, it is not due for release to the public until the end of 2019. The car was originally called the Mission E but was later changed to Taycan, which can be roughly translated from Turkish to mean “leaping horse” and is a note to the Porsche company crest.
Technical Specifications About the Porsche Taycan
The Taycan has two synchronized electric motors, one on each axle. This makes it a four-wheel drive vehicle. These two motors generate a combined power output of about 600hp. It will have four doors as well as 15 minutes of charge that will allow for 400 kilometers of travelling, according to Porsche. What’s more, the Taycan can be expected to go 0-60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds and its top speed is 155mph.
The design itself will be focused on sedan elements but will incorporate some coupe design elements, such as the slopes at the back of various Porsche models that go from the already low-lined roof to the rear of the car. No one knows what the car will look like yet, as it is still being tested. However, it is said that the design of the Taycan will be unveiled next year by Porsche ahead of its release (including is the interior!).
Porsche’s Biggest Competitor
The Taycan’s biggest competitor in the market is the Tesla Model S. Although it is Porsche’s first venture into the market, it is theorized that this will be Porsches flag ship electric car, allowing for later models to be developed as well as hybrid models.
Porsche along with the Volkswagen group, BMW, Daimler and Ford are working together to produce a high powered 400 charger network across Europe by 2020, which is to be used by all of their electric vehicles. This network will be similar to Tesla’s supercharge network.
Most electric cars struggle with the repeated pushing of the vehicle to its limits. It is a problem as heat build-up of components (which occurs when the vehicle is driven for too long) could result in loss of performance. However, Porsche has said that this will not be a problem for the Taycan, as it has developed a unique cooling system that provides cooling relief only to the components that need it.
It is estimated that the Taycan will cost about £60,000 to £70,000, which is in range of the Tesla Model S yet again. Porsche has already started taking orders, although it is expected that deliveries will take place either at the end of 2019 or early 2020. It is estimated that Porsche will produce 20 000 models each year from their Zuffenhausen headquarters in Germany. The headquarters are currently being renovated for the necessary changes to produce electric vehicles, such as the production of electric drives from their existing engine plant.
Taycan’s Autonomous Abilities
There is also a plan for the Taycan to have autonomous driving features. it is expected to have a level 4 self-driving capability. Level 4 means that no driver attention is required at all; the driver may even sleep in the car if he/she wishes. However, what is stopping the Taycan from being level 5 self-driving capable is that the car is only allowed to be autonomous in certain areas, such as limited spatial areas or traffic jams. If not in these areas, such as a highway, the car has the ability to safely stop the trip if the driver does not take control of the vehicle.