Porsche Taycan


Debut: 2019
Maker: Porsche
Predecessor: No



 Published on 14 Apr 2020
All rights reserved. 


A Turbo without turbocharging, but loads of fun nonetheless.


Funny, these days a 911 Carrera can have turbos, while Taycan Turbo and Turbo S have none. In fact, not even an engine. This is the first ever Porsche without an engine. It is also the most controversial Porsche since 2002, when it built its first SUV, Cayenne. More worrying, the Taycan is designed to be a 4-seat sports car rather than something more practical and compromised like Cayenne or Panamera. Without the sound, the smell and the character of a Porsche engine, how can it be recognized as a true Porsche? That’s how we thought when the Mission E concept debuted in 2015 Frankfurt motor show. 4 years later, the production car finally goes on sale, and it wipes out most of our doubts.

I am glad that the Taycan is not designed to be a smaller Panamera, but closer to a sports car. Think the 4-seater version of 911, albeit in electric form. Even without driving the car, this is evident from its exterior design. Isn’t this waterdrop shape familiar? Ditto the curvy flanks, broad shoulders and the shape of the side windows. It could have been even closer to the 911 if it adopted round headlamps, but a vastly different design is chosen to give it a distinctive character. While the Panamera looks heavy and bulky, the Taycan looks sportscar-light, thanks to a very low and flowing waist line. Its roof is rather low, too, 45mm lower than Panamera. However, at nearly 5 meters long and 2 meters wide, this is actually a large car. Heavier than the Panamera, too, as it can tip the scale at more than 2300kg. Yes, that’s Bentley-heavy, blame to the 630kg worth of battery. But the streamline shape does return an outstanding drag coefficient. At 0.22, the Taycan Turbo is pretty much unbeatable by any production cars. Turbo S is slightly less remarkable at 0.25, due to wider tires and more cooling.



It is Bentley-heavy, blame to the 630kg worth of battery.


The Taycan debuts with an all-new platform called J1, which will be shared with the Cross Turismo version of the car (think a high-riding hatchback) and Audi e-Tron GT. Although Porsche gained experience of electrification in 918 Spyder, doing a full electric car is still a big challenge. Frankly, the Taycan has nothing innovative. Tesla Model S has already set the formula 8 years ago, and you might say that car is hardly slower than the latest Porsche – both cars do 0-60 in about 2 and a half seconds and 0-100 just over 6 seconds. The point is, Porsche needs to make the Taycan drives like a Porsche, not just shine in a straight line but also maneuvers, stops and feels like a Porsche. That is the real challenge, as a 2300kg machine has no rights to drive like a 911. That’s why the program took 4 years from concept car to production. Porsche even goes as far as designing and building its own electric motors, inverter and gearbox for the electric powertrain, not outsourcing technologies from suppliers like Rimac.

The J1 platform follows Tesla to have its battery mounted in the floorpan to achieve the lowest possible center of gravity, which is lower than that of the 911, unsurprisingly. However, the drawback of this arrangement is a slightly elevated cabin, which might not bother a sedan like Tesla, but is deemed to be unacceptable to a Porsche. Porsche wants people feel like driving a sports car, so a low mounting point for seats is a must. To realize the Taycan’s low and swoopy roof line, the rear seats shall be mounted low, too. If the rear seats are mounted low, rear passengers will sit with bent knees and feel very uncomfortable. Therefore, Porsche carves out part of the skateboard floor to provide foot room to the rear passengers. To compensate, another stack of battery is added under the rear seat cushion, keeping the battery capacity to a Tesla-rivalling 93.4kWh.

Like other Porsche sports cars, the Taycan’s body is constructed as a steel and aluminum hybrid monocoque. The main structure is mostly high-strength steel, while front and rear subframes, crash structures, suspension towers, doors and most of the body skins are aluminum in the form of stamping, casting or extrusion. The battery is protected by aluminum casing. Torsional rigidity is unspecified, but you won’t doubt Porsche. Front-to-rear weight distribution is a perfect 49:51, thanks to having an electric motor at each axle.


J1 platform has rear footwell carved out but still accommodates 93.4kWh battery.


Each motor comes with its own inverter, but the rear motor is about twice as powerful as the front motor. These permanent magnet motors are more energy efficient than the induction motor of Tesla Model S, which needs to energize stator windings to generate magnetic field. The downside is the magnets use more rare earth to make, and the mining of rare earth is usually environmental-unfriendly, but this is the current trend of EV development. The inhouse-built motors employ “hairpin winding” technology, which can pack more windings in a given space thus more power-dense. The front motor is integral with an open differential and a fixed ratio transmission. The rear axle motor is linked to an electronic LSD like most other Porsches to provide torque vectoring (i.e. PTV Plus). Unusual for an EV, the rear motor works with a 2-speed gearbox, whose first gear is optimized for full-power launch from a standstill, while second gear takes care of most driving. This ensures the Taycan to achieve supercar acceleration without compromising energy efficiency.

There are 3 Taycan models to choose from: 4S, Turbo and Turbo S. All have 2-motor setup, but performance and range differ them. Both the Turbo and Turbo S produce a combined output of 625hp, but a bigger inverter in the Turbo S allows an overboost to 761hp and 774 lbft of torque, while the overboost of Turbo manages 680hp and 627 lbft. Mind you, the overboost lasts only 2.5 seconds, then reverts to 625hp for another 10 seconds, but these short periods are sufficient to take the Taycans from rest to 60mph and 124mph, respectively. More specific, the Turbo S is good for 0-60 in 2.6 seconds, 0-100 in 6.3 seconds and 0-124mph in 9.8 seconds, which is supercar performance. The lesser Turbo is marginally slower, but still easily quicker than any other production 4-doors in the world, including the mighty Mercedes-AMG GT63 S! Moreover, with a top speed regulated at 162mph, you won't find the usual degradation of performance at higher speeds.

However, what separates the Taycan from Tesla is that it is designed to sustain high performance. While Tesla drivers might feel proud to do a sprint of 0-60 in 2.4 seconds, Taycan drivers can do it repeatedly, no need to wait for its battery to cool down. Car and Driver tested the Taycan Turbo S for full-bore ¼-mile acceleration 15 times in succession and found it kept its performance almost unchanged. Under the same conditions, the Tesla Model S Performance has its performance drops massively from the 3rd run. By the 6th run, it took 7 seconds to go from 0-60. Next time, if you want to challenge Tesla with your Golf GTI, ask your opponent to run 6 times, haha.



Turbo S is good for 0-60 in 2.6 seconds and 0-100 in 6.3 seconds, which is supercar performance.


The entry-level Taycan 4S has a less powerful rear motor for a combined output of 435hp. It is good for 0-60 in 3.9 seconds, about equal to a Tesla Model S long range (3.7 seconds) once you consider the conservative approach of Porsche’s claims. However, it employs a smaller, 79.2kWh battery to keep cost down. This drops its WLTP driving range from 450km of the Turbo and 412km of the Turbo S to a still pretty practical 407km. You may opt for the larger battery at extra cost, but still, Tesla offers significantly more range.

On the plus side, the Taycan has quicker charging if you can find a suitable charging facility. This is because it employs an 800V and 270kW charging system. 80 percent charge can be done in merely 22.5 minutes, much quicker than that achievable by Tesla’s 480V and 150kW system. Moreover, the higher voltage allows a lower charging current, thus the charging cables can be made narrower, saving considerable weight. Having said that, Tesla’s charging stations are far more popular. It may take many years for the infrastructure to build up.

Starting at £83,000, the 4S is definitely the most tempting choice, as it is only £2,000 more than the Tesla Model S long range. The Turbo and Turbo S cost £116,000 and £139,000, respectively, significantly more than the range-topping Tesla (£96,000). It goes without saying Porsche is a prestige brand.

The suspensions of Taycan are adapted from Panamera, but not exactly the same parts. They consist of aluminum double-wishbones up front and aluminum multi-link setup at the rear, supported with 3-chamber height-adjustable air springs, PASM adaptive dampers and optional PDCC active anti-roll bars. The Turbo S gets 4-wheel steering and ceramic brakes as standard. It adopts also larger, 21-inch wheels and wider tires. Frankly, ceramic brakes are not necessary, as Porsche says 90 percent of braking is done by regenerative braking in normal driving. You do need a lot of mechanical braking when driving on a track, but the tungsten carbide-coating steel brakes on the Turbo seems to work just as fine, and it provides a more consistent response at cold.
 


Too many screens and too few buttons, but build quality is premium.


Expectedly, the car has 2 luggage compartments – the front offers 81 liters while the rear is quite modest at 366 liters. Inside the cabin, its dashboard design mirrors that of the classic air-cooled 911s, although the instrument reading is now realized by a 16.8-inch TFT screen. The latter looks quite classy, as it is curved and free of cowl. The center console has a 10.9-inch touchscreen for infotainment, while the sloping transmission tunnel features another 8.4-inch touchscreen for climate control and lets you input things more easily. In addition to the optional 10.9-inch touchscreen at the glovebox area for the passenger to play, virtually the entire dashboard is occupied by screens. Build quality is high, just as you would expect for a Porsche. On the downside, there are no physical buttons at all, not even air-con. All controls are done at the touchscreens, which is unnecessarily complicated.

Driving position is excellent. You sit lower than other saloons but a tad higher than in a 911. Forward visibility is great, while rearward is not so. The small steering wheel feels as intimate in hands as in Porsche sports cars. The seat is comfortable yet supportive. The individual rear seats accommodate a pair of passengers up to 6ft. Legroom is good, but headroom is a little compromised by the sloping roof line. However, order the panoramic roof will free up a couple of inches, while lightening the ambience of the cabin.

The Taycan is built at the Zuffenhausen hometown with an installed capacity of 20,000 units annually (but could be doubled by adding shifts), not in other Volkswagen facilities or Magna Steyr, so it is a true Porsche.



Rear seats fit adults up to 6ft tall, but panoramic roof could free up a couple of inches.


On the Road

Just as any EVs, the Taycan starts and cruises at low speed in near silence. On highway, the slippery body generates little wind noise, but road noise is more intrusive in the Turbo S with wider tires. Engage Sport or Sport+ mode and launch the car in full power, the electric motor emits a high-pitch whine that is actually quite exciting to ears. Acceleration is staggering, so explosive, pressing your head hard on the headrest. Then the 2-speed transmission shifts at around 45mph, interrupting the power flow momentarily, then sending a kick to your body and continue its relentless acceleration to well over 3-figures speed. As a result, what intended to enhance efficiency turns out to enhance the drama, making the Taycan feel more exciting than the equally fast Tesla in acceleration. No, it is still not quite as exciting as driving an AMG GT63 S, because it lacks an angry exhaust roar. And without controlling gearshift, you feel less engaging.

Although the Taycan can regenerate 360hp from braking, it does not offer one-pedal driving mode, as no keen drivers like to drive the car in this way. The braking power is excellent. Despite carrying 250 extra kilograms compared with AMG GT63 S, Car and Driver found the Turbo S stops from 70mph in the same 155 ft with ceramic brakes. Brake pedal feel is largely good, but you can sense different responses between regenerative braking and mechanical braking, which is not good enough for a Porsche – the 918 Spyder seemed to feel more natural, but then again it uses far lighter regenerative braking than the Taycan. The steel brakes of Turbo might stops less quickly, but it provides a meatier feel.
 


As far as a battery performance car is concerned, it is right now the benchmark.


Unlike Tesla, the Taycan corners as good as you can ask from a performance saloon. Its steering turns with the same precision, linearity and weighting as that of the 911, if not as much detailed feedback due to the mass over and the torque passing through the front axle. With the help of 4-wheel steering, it turns in sharply, too. Grip and traction are phenomenal. Body control is terrific, displaying less roll in corner than the Panamera. The ride is also tauter than the latter, if slightly less comfy as a result. It all feels like a proper Porsche, certainly much lighter than its 2300kg mass suggested. In fact, it feels lighter and better balanced than the Panamera.

That is strange, as the Panamera Turbo is quicker to lap Nurburgring, taking 7:38 compared with 7:42 of the Taycan Turbo S. In fact, there are a few other performance 4-seaters bettering the Taycan, too, such as BMW M5 Competition (7:36), Alfa Giulia QF (7:32) and the current class-leader, AMG GT63 S (7:25). Driving flat out on a circuit, you do feel the extra mass a little, especially in sudden transition. Car and Driver’s test data also reveals a lateral acceleration slightly less remarkable than the AMG GT63 S (0.99g vs 1.03g, although not on the same day). The extra mass might have subtle effects to lap time. Moreover, Nurburgring is a very long circuit, putting the sustainable output of its battery power in question. On the road, however, the Taycan feels absolutely quick.

The Taycan has a lot to like and admire. As far as a battery performance car is concerned, it is right now the benchmark. The drawback remains to be high prices, limited range and lacking the sound and driver engagement of conventional performance cars. Still, it is a respectable first step towards electrification. It proves that even without an engine, an EV could be exciting to drive. Just don’t call it Turbo please.

Verdict: 
Specifications





Year
Layout
Chassis
Body
Length / width / height
Wheelbase
Engine
Capacity
Valve gears
Induction
Other engine features
Max power
Max torque
Transmission
Suspension layout
Suspension features

Tires
Kerb weight
Top speed
0-60 mph (sec)
0-100 mph (sec)
0-124 mph (sec)
0-150 mph (sec)
Taycan 4S
2019
Front & rear motors, e-4WD
Aluminum+steel monocoque
Aluminum
4963 / 1966 / 1379 mm
2900 mm
Electric motor x 2
Battery 79.2kWh
-
-
-
435 hp (overboost 530 hp)
472 lbft
2-speed automatic (rear)
F: double-wishbone; R: multi-link
Adaptive air spring, adaptive damping

F: 225/55ZR19; R: 275/45ZR19
2140 kg
155 mph (limited)
3.9 (c) / 3.4*
8.7 (c) / 8.1*
13.3 (c)
20.1*
Taycan Turbo
2019
Front & rear motors, e-4WD
Aluminum+steel monocoque
Aluminum
4963 / 1966 / 1381 mm
2900 mm
Electric motor x 2
Battery 93.4kWh
-
-
-
625 hp (overboost 680 hp)
627 lbft
2-speed automatic (rear)
F: double-wishbone; R: multi-link
Adaptive air spring, adaptive damping

F: 245/45ZR20; R: 285/40ZR20
2305 kg
162 mph (limited)
3.0 (c)
6.9 (c)
10.6 (c)
-
Taycan Turbo S
2019
Front & rear motors, e-4WD, 4WS
Aluminum+steel monocoque
Aluminum
4963 / 1966 / 1378 mm
2900 mm
Electric motor x 2
Battery 93.4kWh
-
-
-
625 hp (overboost 761 hp)
774 lbft
2-speed automatic (rear)
F: double-wishbone; R: multi-link
Adaptive air spring, adaptive damping, active anti-roll bar
F: 265/35ZR21; R: 305/30ZR21
2295 kg
162 mph (limited)
2.6 (c) / 2.4* / 2.4** / 2.8***
6.3 (c) / 6.0* / 5.9** / 6.5***
9.8 (c)
15.2*




Performance tested by: *C&D, **MT, ***Autocar





Year
Layout
Chassis
Body
Length / width / height
Wheelbase
Engine
Capacity
Valve gears
Induction
Other engine features
Max power
Max torque
Transmission
Suspension layout
Suspension features
Tires
Kerb weight
Top speed
0-60 mph (sec)
0-100 mph (sec)
0-124 mph (sec)
0-150 mph (sec)
Taycan GTS
2021
Front & rear motors, e-4WD
Aluminum+steel monocoque
Aluminum
4963 / 1966 / 1381 mm
2900 mm
Electric motor x 2
Battery 93.4kWh
-
-
-
517 hp (overboost 598 hp)
627 lbft
2-speed automatic (rear)
F: double-wishbone; R: multi-link
Adaptive air spring, adaptive damping
F: 255/40ZR20; R: 295/35ZR20
2295 kg
155 mph (limited)
3.6 (c)
7.9 (c)
12.0 (c)
-




















































Performance tested by: -





AutoZine Rating

Taycan



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