THE ELECTRIC CAR WE’D PROBABLY all like, the Porsche Taycan, has been improved in a number of ways. Unfortunately, this also comes with a price increase of $15,000.
The new versions have more power, more range, accelerate more quickly and charge faster with greater stability.
Porsche has also sharpened the already-very appealing design and more strongly differentiated the misleadingly named Turbo models. All Taycan versions feature an even more extensive standard equipment list and come with the latest generation of the Porsche Driver Experience with improved display and control concept.
The Taycan sports sedan and Taycan Cross Turismo body variants will both feature the numerous modifications. In each case, four powertrain options are available, with rear-and all-wheel drive variants. The revised versions will arrive at Porsche Centres across Australia from the middle of 2024.
On the path to series production, development engineers and test drivers in camouflaged test cars have covered more than 3.6 million kilometres around the world to keep improving the first all-electric sports car from Porsche. To date, almost 150,000 examples of the Taycan have been produced.
“We ushered in the new era of e-mobility with the Taycan at the end of 2019. It immediately proved to be a game changer and innovative pioneer in the e-vehicle segment,” says head of the model line, Kevin Giek. “We are now continuing this success story with the extensively updated Taycan. The model line has reached new heights in terms of performance, with exceptional driving dynamics and driving pleasure. At the same time, we were able to significantly improve efficiency, range, day-to-day usability and comfort.”
Even higher performance
All updated models accelerate much faster than their predecessors. Two examples from both ends of the portfolio: as sports sedans, the Taycan and Taycan Turbo S reach the 100 km/h mark from a standstill in just 4.8 and 2.4 seconds respectively when tested on the track. This makes them 0.6 and 0.4 seconds faster respectively than their predecessors.
With the new push-to-pass function1 in the Sport Chrono package, a boost of up to 70 kW, depending on the model, can be called upon for 10 seconds at the touch of a button. The increased acceleration rates are generally the result of higher system output. For example, the base Taycan delivers 60 kW more than before. In the Taycan Turbo S, it’s an additional 140 kW with Launch Control. This increases the system output of the top model to 700 kW.
Faster charging
The updated Taycan recharges faster: at compatible 800-volt DC charging stations, for example, it can be charged at up to 320kW (maximum DC charging power). That’s 50 kW more than before. The fast-charging window of the new performance battery has been significantly expanded. This means that charging capacities of more than 300kW can be sustained for up to five minutes, and very high charging capacities can be achieved more quickly, even at low temperatures.
On the first-generation Taycan, the charging time from 10 to 80 percent state of charge (SOC) at 15 degrees Celsius with maximum DC charging power is 37 minutes. Under the same conditions, the updated Taycan takes just 18 minutes despite its larger battery capacity. The Performance Battery Plus now has a gross capacity of 105kWh, increased from 93kWh.
New active chassis
All updated Taycan models come with adaptive air suspension as standard. The new Porsche Active Ride suspension can be ordered as an option for the all-wheel drive versions. This system offers an unprecedented bandwidth between driving comfort and driving dynamics.
The suspension keeps the body of the Taycan level at all times, even during dynamic braking, steering and acceleration manoeuvres. With a smooth ride, the system absorbs bumps almost completely. In dynamic driving situations, the Porsche Active Ride suspension ensures an almost perfect connection to the road thanks to a balanced distribution of wheel loads. If the appropriate mode is activated, the suspension can compensate for pitching and rolling motions in order to reduce the acceleration forces acting on the occupants.
Extensive efficiency measures
The simultaneous improvement of performance and efficiency is down to a number of factors: an advanced powertrain with a new rear-axle motor with up to 80kW more power than its predecessor on all models, a modified pulse inverter with optimised software, more powerful batteries, revised thermal management, a next-generation heat pump and a modified recuperation and all-wheel-drive strategy.
The maximum recuperation capacity during deceleration from high speeds has increased by more than 30 percent from 290 to up to 400kW. All variants now come as standard with aerodynamically optimised wheels and reduced-rolling-resistance tyres. New 21-inch wheels and tyres were specially developed for this purpose.
Significantly improved equipment with less weight
Although the models weigh up to 15kg less, the standard equipment is even more extensive than before. Ambient lighting, Porsche Intelligent Range Manager (PIRM), heat pump with a new cooling system, smartphone tray for wireless charging, electric charging ports on the driver and front passenger sides and Drive Mode switch are all now standard features.
The Taycan base models are now also equipped with adaptive air suspension and aluminium door sill protectors as standard. In addition to the upgraded equipment, the improved product specification includes a battery with increased capacity but with a reduced weight.
Even more attractive design
With new front- and rear-end styling with new headlights and tail lights, the experts at Style Porsche have further honed the clean, purist design of the Taycan. The new front wings and the flatter headlights give even greater emphasis to the width of the Taycan.
New headlight options feature high-resolution HD matrix technology with detailed optics and now display the brand’s characteristic four-point graphics at night, which is standard on the Turbo and Turbo S models. The Porsche logo in the rear light strip features a three-dimensional, glass-look design. An illuminated version of this is available for the first time, featuring welcome/leaving animations.
Among other notable features, the accent colour Turbonite makes the Turbo and Turbo S models stand out more distinctively from the other versions in both the exterior and interior.
Updated control and display concept
The instrument cluster, central display and optional passenger display feature an optimised user interface with additional functions. The mode switch on the steering wheel now comes as standard. For Taycan models equipped with the Sport Chrono package and the Performance Battery Plus, there is a special push-to-pass button on the mode switch.
Using the new control lever on the left behind the steering wheel, control of the driver assistance systems is even more intuitive. Apple CarPlay has been more deeply integrated into the vehicle displays and functions. The new In-Car Video function enables video streaming on the central display (while the vehicle is stationary) and the passenger display.
Australian details
In Australia, all updated Taycan models will be additionally fitted with the following features as standard:
All models
- Tyre fit set
- Windscreen with Grey top tint
- Privacy glass
- Comfort Access
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Head-Up Display
- Lane Change Assist
- Surround View with Active Parking Support
- Side airbags in rear compartment
- Digital radio
Select models (includes equivalent Cross Turismo (CT) variants unless specified)
- 14-way Comfort seats with memory package (Base/4 CT and 4S only, standard on Turbo and No-Cost Option on Turbo S)
- Heated steering wheel (Base/4 CT and 4S only, standard on Turbo and Turbo S)
- BOSE Surround Sound System (Base/4 CT and 4S only, standard on Turbo and Turbo S)
- 20-inch Turbo Sport Aero wheels (4S only)
- Performance Battery Plus (4S sedan only, standard on 4S CT and above)
- Exterior colour – Dreams (4S only, standard on Turbo and Turbo S)
- Panoramic glass roof (No-Cost Option from 4S and above)
- Soft-close doors (4S and above)
- Seat ventilation (4S and above)
- Porsche Electric Sport Sound (Turbo only, standard on Turbo S)
- Advanced 4-zone climate control (Turbo and above)
The new all-electric Taycan models will arrive in Australian Porsche Centres in mid-2024.
The starting prices for each new model are:
The new Taycan: $175,100
The new Taycan 4S: $216,300
The new Taycan Turbo: $307,500
The new Taycan Turbo S: $374,200
The new Taycan 4 Cross Turismo: $198,000
The new Taycan 4S Cross Turismo: $224,000
The new Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo: $310,400
All plus on road costs