The one thing you need to know today: it’s pronounced “tie-con.” We’re talking, of course, about the Porsche Taycan, the first all-electric model from the first name in sports cars which was unveiled Wednesday morning simultaneously across three continents.
The Taycan is one of the biggest automotive launches of the decade. As we head into 2020 and the inevitable spike in the electric vehicle market, Porsche has a chance to single-handedly prove the dominance of EV technology for three reasons: while it’s still a Porsche, the Taycan is a “four-door sports saloon” (read: sedan) that combines the power of the marque’s top sports cars with the accessibility of a Cayenne; it’s directly taking on Tesla, and unlike other automakers who have made that claim, it actually has a good shot at doing so; and part of that challenge includes the Taycan’s ability to charge its 800-volt system from 5 to 80 percent in under 23 minutes at a 270 kW charger. In simple terms, these are industry-leading numbers.
So what else do you need to know at launch, besides the correct pronunciation for the water cooler? Most importantly, there are two models available now: the Taycan Turbo (powerful) and the Taycan Turbo S (more powerful). Here are the answers to all your questions:
- How powerful are they? The Taycan Turbo tops out at 670 horsepower (500 kW), a 0 to 60 MPH time of three seconds and a range up to 280 miles. The Turbo S: 750 horsepower, 2.6 seconds and 256 miles.
- How much do they cost? The Turbo starts at $150,900 and the Turbo S at $185,000.
- Wait, I thought you said these were accessible? Well, accessible in design. But also there are more EVs on the way. (Of course Porsche was going to launch with the high-end model.) According to the press release, less powerful (read: cheaper) models will be unveiled in 2019 and the Taycan Cross Turismo (a crossover!) will be added at the end of 2020.
- How do I order one? Understandably, the various Porsche websites have been on the fritz because of overwhelming traffic. But once it dies down, you can place an order here: https://www.porsche.com/usa/
If that’s not enough to satiate your lust for electric power, watch the launch event here:
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