The Porsche Taycan: a Porsche as good as $ 200,000 should be

HAMBURG, Germany – When a new car is as predictable as the Taycan Porsche, it's easy to make assumptions before anyone can actually drive the thing. Car manufacturers are generally reluctant to share too much detail before the official launch of a model. It is therefore natural that speculation fills the gaps. And since this is the first battery-powered electric vehicle of the famous German manufacturer, the chat before the launch went from 0 to 60 mph quickly.

With some facts to tell, the race bench around the Porsche Taycan was frantic: it is a "killer of Tesla Model S," told us people with as little information as us. Others have claimed that it was only a Panamera sedan minus the internal combustion engine. But forget all that; After driving for two days the new Porsche battery electric vehicle in northern Europe, these comparisons are misplaced. Porsche says it's decided to make a four-door electric sports car, and that's what has been done. Plus, the Taycan is just as good as one would expect from a Porsche that will cost you at least $ 150,000, which is to say that it is very good. It's just that this car uses electricity to take you where you are going.

To present its latest creation, the Porsche Press Service decided that a great road trip was imposing. Some people are afraid to consider EBVs because of the anxiety of the litter. So, how best to show that long distances are no problem taking a winding road that started in Oslo, Norway, and ended in Stuttgart 18 days and 4,001 miles (6440 km) later? Our briefing was simple: join the convoy in Denmark and drive Taycans from Copenhagen to Hamburg for two days and several hundred kilometers. We've experimented with the Taycan Turbo ($ 150,900 before tax credits and the list of infamous Porsche options) and the even faster and more expensive Taycan Turbo S (starting at $ 185,000) on all kinds of roads , narrow country roads to low speed roads. urban streets to straight, smooth and unobstructed sections of the highway. Plus, such a road trip meant an opportunity to check the Taycan's fast charging capability when it was connected to an 800 V DC charger.

What it is not

If you came here with the hope of reading how the Taycan would come out – Tesla Teslas or how the Model S would spank the Porsche next week – you can also check out some of our other interesting contents. Or, go directly to the comments to call me silly.

To be fair, the pulse of comparing the Taycan and the Model S is understandable. After all, their size and shape are identical. They are both BEVs. In less than seven seconds, they will transport you and some friends far beyond the legal speed limit in most parts of the world. Similarly, one would think that a Taycan is little more than a Panamera minus its engine. Again, both cars have four doors, four seats, a Porsche badge, many performances and even some parts in common. Prices are also similar, if you compare at least the best performing Turbo S models. But this line of thought highlights the dangers of bench racing because a car is much more than its dimensions or a 0-60 mph time.

What it is

I've already written nearly 3,000 words on technology under Taycan's skin. If that's not enough for you, I can also recommend a deeper dive again at Jalopnik or this Wired article on the car's smart two-speed transmission. But to sum it up briefly, the Taycan Turbo and Taycan Turbo S are two AWD designs with a rated capacity of 460 kW (616 hp) powered by a 93.4 kWh lithium-ion battery and an architecture 800V electric. The 800 V bit is important – it helps the Taycan power train cope with the repeated and unpleasant types of abuse that any Porsche should be able to handle, while allowing for a very fast charge when it is connected to the right equipment. .

In our technical briefing prior to the Taycan launch, Porsche engineers played a key role in connecting with the iconic 911 sports car. We were told that the Taycan had a driving position similar to that of the 911 and that the 911 originally inspired the form of Taycan's eye-catching main dashboard. The claim that the new electric Porsche was primarily a sports car sounded good, and that did not bother the fact that the car's development team came before the Cayman and Boxster. Although I understand why Porsche plays the 911 angle, I think there is a better comparison, illustrated by an anecdote that I guarantee, even if it seems too good to be true.

It was the second day of our trip and we were heading to Hamburg in rather heavy traffic. In the lane next to our car was a metallic blue Porsche 928, well maintained if not impeccable and smelling like a rich exhaust. As we approached each other, it was obvious that we were examining the car from each other. At what point did the driver of the 928 point our car and just say "the future" (In fact, he first said "die zukunft", then j & rsquo; I did the thing "sorry, I do not speak german, but it's a great car you drive".)

Now, if you're not a Porschephile, a context might be useful: the 928 first appeared in 1977 and was intended to replace the 911 aged, rear-engine, air-cooled engine by some something more appropriate for the end of the 20th century. As you can still buy a 911 more than 20 years after the end of production of 928 units, I let you guess how successful this has been. Nowadays, the 911 can be cooled with water, but it is still aft engine and is not likely to be replaced. But the interaction made me understand that 928 might as well be the spiritual predecessor of Taycan. Like this car, the Taycan manages to straddle the border between an outstanding sports car and a GT that crushes the continent, but it offers more convenience because the rear doors (and a judicious layout of the battery) make it a real four-seater.

What does it look like to drive?

When you sit in the bucket seat, you really feel like you are in a low, sporty position. The front view is excellent, framed primarily by the bodywork that wraps the front wheels and then disappears in the name of aerodynamic efficiency. The driving position is very similar to that of the 911 and the steering wheel is much more comfortable in hand than that of a Panamera (whose profile is strange to the rim). This 16.8-inch main display screen is eye-catching, although much of the auxiliary information on both sides can be hidden by the steering wheel, unless you scruple it.

To start the car, there is a big "on" button to the left of the wheel, and a large machined aluminum rocker on the right allows you to switch between forward, neutral and reverse. Press the button, flip the switch, and it is gone. By default, the car starts in normal mode, but a rotary controller on the steering wheel (at 4 o'clock) also allows you to switch to Range, Sport, Sport Plus or Individual mode.

The range, as expected, maximizes efficiency and the car defaults to front-wheel drive only when appropriate. The car lowers a little and, depending on the state of charge of the battery (SoC), the maximum speed can be limited (to as little as 90 km / h if the vehicle is empty) . The sport stiffens the air suspension and the powertrain is remapped for more aggressive power instead of being more efficient. Sport Plus is turning eleven, with an even more performance-oriented chassis configuration, a thermal strategy that primarily consists of providing repetitive power and the lowest possible ride height.

After only a few miles, it was clear that the Taycan was not really driving like most of the other BEVs we tested. Although you can rock the car so that it regenerates (builds) electricity when you raise the accelerator pedal, it 's only a very slight effect . Forget driving a pedal like in a BMW i3, a second-generation Nissan Leaf or any other current Tesla, all of which can be tuned to regenerate aggressively when you lift your foot off the throttle. Nope. To slow down a Taycan, you will need to use the brake pedal, which will regenerate up to 265 kW and 0.39 G, beyond this threshold (or if the battery is full and unable to accept more than load), it will be a mixture of regenerator braking and friction braking. The feeling of pedal braking is excellent, and I was never aware that the car juggled between the two systems. That's mainly thanks to Porsche's experience with the 919 Hybrid racing car – these drivers had more than anything to rely on in the brake pedal and they worked with the engineers to develop the system.

On the go, the Taycan manages to feel much lighter than its actual empty weight, which must weigh at least 5,322 lb (2,328 kg) for the Taycan Turbo or 5,321 kg (5,121 lb) for the Turbo S. The difference is day and night. compared to the Panamera Turbos S E-Hybrid, which tipped the scales in a similar amount. This is most noticeable when first put into service: the Taycan responds to commands with much less inertia than the Panamera, which always feels a bit like a tank. In all driving modes, the steering remains communicative and informs you of the grip of the front tires (low rolling resistance).

Jonathan Gitlin's picture