The Porsche Taycan is almost there – that's why I'm excited



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There is the impression that the Taycan Porsche has been long in coming. Four years after the German manufacturer unveiled its Mission E concept, the company's first 100% electric sedan, better known for the 911, is about to make its public debut and launches with it a huge bomb in the segment. electric vehicles.

Inaugurated in September 2015, Mission E was a fairly obvious – and heavy – evidence of what Porsche had in mind for an electrified world, defined by Tesla as a whole. Clearly linked to the automaker's internal combustion cars, while promising a state-of-the-art 800-volt power system, Mission E got a more positive reception than even Porsche could have expected.

It did not take long – less than two months, in fact – for the company's executives to give a go-ahead to a production version. Then, of course, the hard work that helped turn a concept car into something that you could get into a dealership and buy started. It was not until mid-2018 that the Taycan badge – a rough name for the Turk as a "living young horse" – was affixed.

Since then, Tesla has released model 3 and the S model has received many performance and other improvements. We've seen Jaguar's I-PACE crossover arrive at dealerships and, more recently, Audi's e-tron SUV offers a very familiar and totally electric driving experience. More electric vehicles, from various manufacturers, are waiting behind the scenes.

The hype of Taycan could easily have started to decline. Something interesting for Porsche fans – at least those who want to recognize a car without six under the sheet – but its potential impact is diluted by a market electric vehicle that matures gradually. It does not say much.

Porsche apparently has more than 30,000 paid bookings for Taycan worldwide. The demand was so fierce – even before the final specifications or even a price was confirmed – the manufacturer had to increase its production preemptively. Meanwhile, a series of performance demonstrations, some serious and others a little silly, continued to stoke the fires before the revelation.

What is particularly curious is that, although Porsche played the key details near his chest and does not confirm things such as the exact power, speed and reach before the grand unveiling of tomorrow, the interest remains high. Unless there is an unexpected miracle, it seems almost certain that the Model S will convince the Taycan of the distance at which it can roll with a full charge. With the Ludicrous mode active, it would not be surprising that the Tesla sedan is also a little faster.

Even Taycan's popular 800V power system and high-speed charging will only really be useful if you can find a sufficiently powerful charger. Even with the VW Group's huge investments in Electrify America, this network is still nascent at best. The majority of Taycan recharges, as is the case for all electric vehicles, will be at home or at the office, on a much more banal connection.

Why, then, does the interest remain so high? Porsche's reputation for performance cars is naturally a key element. The Model S can still go fast in a straight line, for example, but it is only recently that its latest air suspension system has been selected: the heavy EV has also withstood cornering. If Porsche can give the Taycan a little balance on the 911 when the situation settles, even if it is not as powerful, it could still prove to be the driver's car.

Then there is the prestige of the badge, issues of reliability and security. For all Tesla fans who have only high praise for the company, it may seem that there is another owner with a post-sale nightmare to report. The automaker has recently invested more in maintenance services, but it has not changed since the white glove treatment Porsche drivers expect from their dealerships. This alone may be enough to influence certain sales.

The reality, however, is that electric vehicles are not a zero sum game. Even though it sometimes feels like "Tesla versus the world" – a point of view that Elon Musk has not hesitated to refuel – there is plenty of room on the market for many strong cars . More choice will always be better: for potential owners looking for the car best suited to their needs; for manufacturers enjoying greater visibility on electric vehicles; and for the environment as the lead of internal combustion sales is gradually phased out.

It seems like we are at a turning point, with the Taycan at the forefront. The VW group alone has planned a wide range of electric cars for the next few years; in the rest of the industry, whether stalwarts or startups, and it is clear that the competition invited by Elon Musk in June 2014 is finally preparing. The Taycan Porsche may not be everyone's car when it comes out under the covers on Wednesday morning, but do not worry: this is just the first new electric vehicle among many.

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