STEADY AS WE GO
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dramatically after just a couple quarter-mile runs, and to get the
best times requires a fully charged battery pack. Remarkably,
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charge, the car’s performance will remain consistent, with a mea-
surable but imperceptible slowdown. Porsche credits the use of the
two-speed transmission on the rear axle, the permanent-magnet
synchronous AC motors, and the
car’s higher operating voltage that
creates less heat than lower-voltage
setups. The Taycan also doesn’t shy
away from track work; it spent many
development miles on the Nürbur-
gring Nordschleife, where it man-
aged a deeply impressive lap time
of 7:42 , the quickest of any produc-
tion electric vehicle.
Having a multispeed transmission in an EV provides
aURNZROR[R¼aaUNaVaQ\RV[NTN]\dRRQPN'
VZ]_\cRQNPPRYR_NaV[N[QV[P_RNRQR¦PVR[PfNaUVTU velocity by lowering the rotating speed of the power source. This is why there’s a two-speed transmission in the Taycan’s _RN_NeYR±N[2C¼_aARYNV[aR[QRQa\Q\aURNZR[Va ¼_aTR[?\NQaR_ ObaVaP\bYQ[μaZNXRVad\_XAUR=\_PURμ gearbox has a single planetary gearset and two clutches that UN[QYRaUR_NaV\dN]_QRP\b]YRaURRNZ\a_NYa\TRaUR NYY\dV[TS_R¦PVR[a
running using only front-axle power. The gearing step is large, with the second-
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most driving, the Taycan runs in top gear. First-gear starts happen in Sport or Sport
Plus mode; to do it in Normal, you’ll need a large accelerator input.
GEARING UP
CHARGING AHEAD
Raising the operating voltage in an EV has
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which is why Porsche doubled the Taycan’s
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higher voltage allows for lighter wiring—
Porsche says it trimmed 66 pounds from
the electrical harness alone. Charging
times are dramatically reduced, too, as the
amount of current required to achieve a
given power level is halved. That also
means a lower draw on the current during
high-power driving, which keeps the elec-
tric motors running cooler. The Taycan
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which enables boosting the battery from
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high-output charging stations; that’s more
power than even the most powerful Tesla
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charging infrastructure. The car comes
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onboard charger from either its left or
right charge ports. That equates to a rather
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AC-charger option in the near future.2020 PORSCHE
TAYCAN TURBO/S
VEHICLE TYPE:
front- and rear-motor,
all-wheel-drive, 4- or
5-passenger, 4-door
sedan
BASE PRICE:
$130,000–$150,000
(e s t)
FRONT MOTOR:
permanent-magnet
synchronous AC, 235 or
255 hp, 221 or 325 lb-ft
REAR MOTOR:
permanent-magnet
synchronous AC, 449
hp, 406 or 450 lb-ft
BATTERY: liquid-cooled
lithium-ion, 93.0 kWh
COMBINED OUTPUT:
670 or 750 hp,
626 or 774 lb-ft
TRANSMISSIONS:
1-speed direct-drive
(front), 2-speed
automatic (rear)
DIMENSIONS
WHEELBASE: 114.2 in
LENGTH: 195.4 in
WIDTH: 77.4 in
HEIGHT: 54.3 in
CARGO VOLUME:
17 cu ft
CURB WEIGHT: 5200 lb
PERFORMANCE
(C/D EST)
ZERO TO 60 MPH:
2.6–3.0 sec
ZERO TO 100 MPH:
6.0–6.4 sec
1/4-MILE: 10.8–11.1 sec
TOP SPEED: 162 mph
FUEL ECONOMY
(C/D EST)
EPA COMBINED:
90 MPGe
EPA RANGE:
225–270 mi RP\[QS_aURAb_O\(aURAb_O\@μ^bN_aR_ZVYR]N``RV[
N:P9N_R[# 9A°YVXR %RP\[Q
Although impressive, it may end up just shy of taking the title
of quickest EV away from the Tesla Model S Performance. But the
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¼[VURQ]_\a\af]RaUR=\_PURQRYVcRRQ [RN[QQ[RQNZ]-
ing, sharp steering, measured body control, and the ability to do
normal Porsche things—like extended, lurid drifts. The Taycan
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which is rare for an EV. And the view forward over the mid-engine-
like plunging hood adds to the experience. Yet the Taycan will act
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mal mode, with an uncannily delicate ride.
There’s no one-pedal driving, with Porsche arguing that
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none and very little. Porsche worked hard on tuning the feel of the
blended brakes, and in our limited drive, the Turbo S had the most
natural pedal feel we’ve experienced with one of these systems.
However, we noticed some touchiness during the initial applica-
tion, where the regenerative braking comes in a little abruptly. But
that minor complaint doesn’t take away from Porsche’s mega-
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