The Porsche Taycan is a premium all-wheel drive sports sedan of the full-size category and, in combination, the first production electric car in the history of the German automaker, which combines the unmistakable genes of Porsche sports cars, everyday practicality and innovative technical "stuffing" ... The main target audience of the four-door is tech-savvy urban residents who want to get an "environmentally friendly car" without sacrificing either the level of comfort, or safety, or the "driving" potential ...
The official presentation of the Porsche Taycan electric sedan took place on September 4, 2019 at the same time at special events in three locations around the world - in Germany, Canada and China, but the car made its full-scale debut only a week later at the stands of the International Frankfurt Auto Show.
The electric car, whose name in translation from Turkish roughly means "fast and energetic like a foal", opened a new era for the German company, having come a long way to the conveyor - it inherited the general structure, design and proportions from the Mission E concept, presented in the fall of 2015 th (also in Frankfurt).
Exterior
From the outside, the Taycan is perceived as a full-fledged Porsche - the three-box looks attractive, "thoroughbred", expressive and sporty fit, and almost every element in its appearance creates the feeling of a proper sports car.
The front of the electric car flaunts a piercing gaze of spectacular lighting technology, "covered" with powerful tides of fenders, and a raised bumper with developed aerodynamic details, and its rear side attracts attention with impressive lanterns connected by an LED "bridge" and a massive bumper. True, the absence of exhaust pipes (even if fake) introduces a certain confusion into the outlines of the four-door.
In profile, the electric car “flaunts” a squat silhouette on huge wheels with a long hood, an elegant roof dome, a small “extension” of the trunk, expressive “folds” on the sidewalls and frameless doors, which makes it perceived not as a classic sedan (which it is), but rather as a liftback.
Dimensions and weight
"Taikan" acts in the segment of full-size cars: its length is 4963 mm, its height does not exceed 1381 mm, and its width reaches 1966 mm (including outside mirrors - 2144 mm). The wheelbase of the electric car "extends" to 2900 mm, and its ground clearance varies from 108 to 150 mm (due to the air suspension).
When equipped, the four-door weighs from 2295 to 2305 kg, depending on the modification, and its total weight is from 2870 to 2880 kg.
Interior
The interior of the Porsche Taycan retains the traditional features of the brand's cars, but at the same time, the interior is designed according to the principle "less is more" - here minimalism of lines is combined with modern technology.
Directly in front of the driver is a weighty three-spoke multi-steering wheel with a "chubby" rim and a curved 16.8-inch display of the instrument cluster, along the rounded edges of which there are touch-sensitive buttons for controlling external lighting and changing driving modes. A 10.9-inch touchscreen of the infotainment complex flaunts in the center of the front panel, and for a surcharge, the exact same screen can be mounted on the right side of it - in front of the passenger. Another display, but with a diagonal of 8.4 inches and with "haptic" feedback, is located on the center console and is responsible for climate functions.
The interior of the electric sedan is organized according to the "4 + 1" seating formula, that is, if the middle passenger in the back is appropriate, then only on short trips. The front seats are equipped with sports chairs with integrated head restraints, a pronounced side profile, a wide range of electrical adjustments and all the "blessings of civilization". On the second row there is a sofa, clearly molded for two people, with a folding armrest and a small box in the central part.
In the arsenal of "Taikan" there are two luggage compartments at once, though relatively small: the front compartment is designed to accommodate 81 liters of luggage, while the rear compartment is more spacious - its volume is 366 liters.
Specifications
For the Porsche Taycan, two all-wheel drive modifications are announced - each of them is equipped with two synchronous AC electric motors (one at the front and one at the rear), located transversely and driving the wheels of its axle. Moreover, a single-stage transmission is used in the front part, while a two-stage gearbox is installed in the rear (the second gear is made to increase the maximum speed) and a differential with an electronically controlled lock.
- Electric motors of the initial version Turbo have the following indicators of nominal output: front - 218 horsepower and 300 Nm of torque, and rear - 408 hp. and 550 Nm of peak thrust. Their combined potential is 625 hp. and 850 Nm, however, in Overboost mode, the power can be increased to 680 hp. for 2.5 seconds.
- Execution Turbo S equipped with electric motors similar in performance, but has a more powerful inverter and other settings, as a result of which its maximum "armament" increases to 761 hp. and 1050 Nm of torque.
Regardless of the version, "Taikan" has an operating voltage of the traction network of 800 volts, and is supplied with a liquid-cooled lithium-ion traction battery with a capacity of 93.4 kW / h.
It takes about 11 hours to fully charge the batteries from a regular household outlet, but a 380V three-phase charging station can replenish 80% of the energy in just 22.5 minutes.
Speed, dynamics and range
From zero to "first" hundred, the Turbo version of the electric car shoots out in 3.2 seconds, and accelerates to 200 km / h in 10.6 seconds, while the more productive Turbo S version spends 3.2 seconds and 9.8 seconds on these disciplines, respectively. The maximum speed in both cases is 260 km / h.
The basic model in the combined cycle (WLTP) is capable of covering up to 450 km of track on fully charged batteries (the maximum "range" is up to 497 km in city mode), and the top model is up to 412 km (in urban conditions - up to 473 km) ...
Design features
At the heart of the Porsche Taycan is the new PPE (Premium Platform Electric) platform, developed specifically for electric vehicles in cooperation with Audi. This "bogie" is distinguished by a traction battery integrated into the load-bearing structure of the floor, a dense layout that lowers the center of gravity, and a wide use of high-strength grades of steel in the body structure (most of the outer panels are aluminum).
The four-door boasts fully independent "winged metal" suspensions with three-chamber air bellows and active anti-roll bars: double wishbone at the front, multi-link at the rear.
The electric car is equipped with steering with adaptive electric power steering, as well as a fully-steered chassis with steering rear wheels (this is an option on the Turbo, and the basic equipment on the Turbo S).
The initial version of the sports car is equipped with ventilated disc brakes with a tungsten carbide coating with a diameter of 415 mm on the front and 365 mm on the rear axles, while the "top" modifications rely on carbon-ceramic brakes with ventilation and "pancakes" at 420 mm and 410 mm, respectively ...
Options and prices
On the Russian market, the Porsche Taycan Turbo can be purchased at a price of 10,643,000 rubles, and for the Turbo S version you will have to pay at least 12,943,000 rubles.
The standard premium electric car has: front and side airbags, 20-inch alloy wheels, ABS, ESP, all-LED optics, heated mirrors, electrically adjustable and electrically folding, dual-zone climate control, heated front and rear seats, adaptive cruise control, virtual instrument cluster, leather trim, media center, all-round cameras, Bose audio system with 14 speakers and a bunch of other "bells and whistles".
