The Porsche Taycan is the electric four-door saloon that thinks it’s a sports car. We had an inkling that the first all-electric Porsche would be good, but we had no idea it would be this good.
This is a vehicle that shows how much fun a plug-in future can be. It’s a car with a realistic electric range, a delightful interior and the handling characteristics of a lightweight sports car. It’s not cheap, but anyone fortunate enough to take the plunge will enjoy a truly revolutionary electric car.
Porsche has drawn a line in the sand with the Taycan. Its electric car takes the fight to the Tesla Model S and gives the Americans a bloody nose. The Germans have won this battle – and there’s no need for it to go to penalties.
About the Porsche Taycan
Eight years after the launch of the Tesla Model S, Porsche responded with what feels like a turning point for the electric car sector. It was worth the wait. We don’t say this lightly: the Porsche Taycan is a genuine game-changer.
Making its debut at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Taycan is the first all-electric car Porsche has produced. The four-door saloon has the look of a coupe and is built on a new battery-electric platform that’ll be used to underpin a number of all-electric cars from the Volkswagen Group (Porsche’s owner), including the Audi e-Tron GT.
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The Taycan is roughly the same size as the Porsche Panamera, but it’s not quite as practical as its conventional sibling. It’s also significantly heavier, weighing in at a lardy 2.2 tonnes. Despite this, it feels as agile and playful as a Porsche 911, with the performance to rival any supercar at any price.
On the subject of price, the Taycan isn’t a cheap car. Porsche is investing around six billion euros on electromobility over the next couple of years – the Taycan is its first opportunity to recoup some of this outlay.
How much is the Porsche Taycan? The entry-level 4S costs £83,500, the Taycan Turbo costs £116,000, while the flagship Turbo S commands a price tag of £139,000. Few, if any, Taycan models will leave the showroom with a price south of £100,000 – there are a range of costly options to choose from.
So which Porsche Taycan should you buy? The entry-level 4S is as remarkable as its more powerful Turbo and Turbo S stablemates, especially if you opt for the 93.4kWh battery from the more expensive models. It makes the Turbo models feel like pure one-upmanship rather than necessity.
The Taycan 4S with the larger battery offers the most range, with an official 288 miles on offer. Chuck lower winter temperatures into the equation and a range of 220 miles between charges is likely. Still impressive given the performance and weight of the car.
It’s brilliant to drive. The Taycan hides its bulk remarkably well, tackling B-road corners like a 911, yet feeling as refined and comfortable as a Panamera over long distances. You’re also treated to one of the most tech-laden and impressive interiors this side of a luxury saloon.
Opt for one of the Turbo models or the Performance Battery Plus version of the 4S and you get a super-fast, 800V, 270kW peak charging rate. Once the charging network has caught up, this promises to make the Taycan no less usable than a 911.
It’s not perfect. The Taycan’s boot is the same size as a family hatchback’s, some features should be free on a car of this price, while the sloping roofline limits the space in the back.
However, none of this detracts from what is one of the best four-door sport coupes you can buy, regardless of the powertrain. This is a remarkable car.
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