Porsche Taycan, the first fully-electric sportscar from Porsche, has premiered simultaneously on three continents! The four-door sedan is a giant effort by the marque towards designing a sustainable future.
Porsche is shifting gears in electric mobility, with a total investment of over 6.6 billion dollars by 2022. The first results of its efforts were on showcase on 5th September, 2019, at the simultaneous launch of Porshe Taycon in Europe, North America and China. Taycan Turbo S and Taycan Turbo will be the first models from the series to reach the markets. The four-door sports sedan promises signature Porsche performance designed for a sustainable future.
The three locations of the world premiere were selected for being important landmarks of sustainable energy. In North America Niagra Falls, on the border of Ontario and New York, was selected to represent hydropower. In Germany a solar farm in Neuhardenberg near Berlin was chosen while a wind farm on Pingtan Island, near the city of Fuzhou, was picked to signify wind power.
“The Taycan links our heritage to the future. It carries forward the success story of our brand – a brand that has fascinated and thrilled people the world over for more than 70 years,” said Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG, who opened the world premiere in Berlin, “This day marks the start of a new era.”
A new era indeed is being ushered in by the Porsche Taycon. Where electric cars commonly have a system voltage of 400 volts, the Taycan is the first productions vehicle with 800 volts. This essentially allows the car to charge from five to 80% in only 22.5 minutes and provides maximum charging power (peak) of up to 270 kW.
The all-electric vehicle doesn’t slack in power either. The flagship Turbo S generates up to 750 horsepower while the Taycan Turbo produces up to 670 horsepower. The former accelerates from zero to 60mph in 2.6 seconds while the Turbo reaches this speed in three seconds. Top track speed of both all-wheel-drive models is 161 mph. The variants expected to launch later this year, such as the Taycan Cross Turismo, will have lesser power.
Design wise, the Taycan is unmistakably a Porsche. It retains the Porsche DNA and has a wide, flat, front face and well contoured wings. The sporty roofline slopes down to the rear, which is sharp and highly sculpted. The aerodynamic shape allows for low energy consumption and a long range.
Inside is an entirely redesigned cockpit with free-standing, curved instrument cluster forming the highest point on the dashboard. In the centre is a 10.9-inch infotainment display and an optional passenger display in black-panel integrated glass band. Usual hardware controls are greatly reduced, with the company moving toward more intelligent and intuitive control. It offers touch operations as well as voice commands that react to ‘Hey Porsche’.
With sustainability at the core of Porsche Taycan, it aptly offers an entirely leather-free interior option for the first time. Some interiors are even made from innovative recycled materials.