For Porsche, the future is electrifying. And in order to look to its future, it had to look into its past.
The first vehicle built by founder Ferdinand Porsche was an electric car back in 1898 called the P1. It had a range of 79 kilometres and a top speed of 34 km/h.
Enter the all-new Taycan (pronounced tie-kahn) Porsche’s first real effort into producing an all-electric vehicle since the P1.
What an effort it is.
Porsche’s new sports sedan delivers some highly impressive numbers. The ‘base’ model, for instance, produces as much as 563 horsepower. The mid-trim Turbo model produces 670 horsepower and the top of the line Turbo S makes a blistering 750 horses. Its top range is 323 km/h. I was important for Porsche to make a vehicle that was both modern and addressed current challenges to the environment all while preserving the performance that Porsche is known for.
The Taycan uses unique design and architecture. It is one of the only electric vehicles to be made on an 800-volt electric architecture which allows it to offer a powerful 270-kilowatt charging. This allows it to recharge the battery to 80% capacity in just 22-minutes
“Electric vehicles are extremely important [to Porsche]. Part of the development of the Taycan was the introduction of our zero emissions factory…so sustainability and future production cars such as the Taycan Cross Turismo and the battery electric vehicle version of the Macan will be a part of the series, so more electric cars are in the future for Porsche,” said Kristi Ferguson of Porsche Cars Canada.
Porsche of Halifax invited me to check out the new Taycan in mid-trim Turbo and was even kind enough to hand me the keys to try it out.
The type of power the Taycan is able to put to the pavement is almost indescribable. The best way to put it is to make sure your headrest is in the proper position because you could actually give yourself whiplash. The mid-trim Turbo model can get from 0-100 in about 3.2 seconds.
It has four different driving modes and includes the ability to audibly pump in some futuristic sounds – which I enjoyed because driving something so powerful that emits no noise is a bit off-putting.
Since the Taycan took some of the soul of the iconic 911, you better believe it drives and handles the same way. It feels planted and gives good confidence and feedback to the driver. You can definitely sling it around a track without any issue.
But for normal day life, the Taycan is perhaps even more at home than a 911. It is comfortable, quiet, can fit four people comfortably and is quite versatile considering there’s a trunk in both the front and back of the vehicle.
Nova Scotia’s schizophrenic weather during the winter shouldn’t hold the Taycan back either. It has two electric motors – one in the front that powers the front wheels and another in the back powering the rear wheels which effectively makes it an all-wheel drive vehicle.
Sticker shock is the only real downside here with the Taycan’s price starting at $119,000. Still, the Taycan is just the first electric vehicle to find itself in Porsche modern portfolio. Cheaper electric vehicles from the German company are on their way.
Until then, I’ll happy enough playing the lottery because I’m pretty sure I know what I would buy. And they make it in a funky green colour too!