After many leaks and teasers, the Porsche Taycan has finally been revealed to the world.
At long last, the Porsche Taycan is upon us.
One of the most powerful electric cars – and indeed, any car – ever made, the Taycan is a watershed moment for Porsche.
Its incredible power shows electric cars are viable performance cars too.
The rear of the Porsche Taycan.
It’s been built from the ground up to be one of the fastest EVs in the world, and to point the way forward for the German automaker.
“The Taycan links our heritage to the future,” said the chairman of Porsche’s executive board Oliver Blume, adding that the launch “marks the start of a new era”.
In Singapore, the car is currently undergoing homologation according to Porsche’s website, but we don’t think they’re too far off.
What Taycan versions are there?
Porsche’s Tesla-killer launches with the flagship Taycan Turbo S and Taycan Turbo, with lesser variants following soon.
First to launch are the confusingly-named Turbo S and Turbo.
Confusing because, erm, how do you turbocharge an electric car?
Regardless of their names, both are incredibly powerful cars as their performance figures show.
The flagship Turbo S smites its rivals with 761ps (750hp) while the Turbo makes do with a paltry 680ps (670hp).
The Turbo S demolishes the 100km/h sprint in 2.8s while the Turbo does it in 3.2s.
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As for range, the Turbo S can go up to 412km before needing to recharge, while the Turbo goes slightly further to 450km before needing a top-up.
The top speed of both models is 260km/h, the “low” top speed being a limitation of electric vehicles in general, even with the Taycan’s bespoke gearbox.
Tl;dr if you don’t care about any of the above
Before we bore you, here are five fast facts about Porsche’s Tesla-killer that you need to know:
1. The Taycan is the first production vehicle with a system voltage of 800V instead of the usual 400V for EVs. That’s an advantage: in just over five minutes, you get enough juice via direct current (DC) charging to run another 100km.
2. Porsche developed the Taycan’s two-speed transmission (installed on the rear axle). First gear gives the Taycan great acceleration from rest while the second gear (with a long ratio) ensures higher efficiency.
3. The stator coils in the electric motors have “hairpin” winding, which allows them to have more copper in the stator, increasing power output and torque while maintaining the motor’s size.
4. The Taycan’s interior is entirely leather-free. It’s instead constructed from recycled materials that Porsche says underscores the sustainable concept of the electric sports car.
5. No engine, more space: the front luggage compartment has a capacity of 81 litres and the rear’s is 366 litres.
Check out this handy graphic of the Taycan.
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