After being previewed as the Porsche Mission E concept back in 2015, the Taycan was unveiled in full production form at the end of 2019. The model opened a new path for Porsche and is currently one of the best-selling luxury electric vehicles on the market, with over 20,000 units delivered in the car's first few months of existence. The Taycan was initially offered in Turbo and Turbo S trims, but later on, both the 4 and 4S models were announced. In the end, the 2021 Porsche Taycan was offered in various motor configurations, plus both sedan and station wagon body styles. There is basically one Taycan out there for every taste, and with unlimited customization possibilities, you can really make it yours – if you have the money. And, you surely do need some money! The question is, other than being a Porsche, what makes the Taycan such a successful model, despite its huge selling price? Is it all milk and honey, or does the Taycan have its bad parts, like any other EV currently on sale?
10 Pro: A Porsche Taycan For Every Taste
For the 2023 model year, on the American market, you can choose between 10 different Taycan models. The base Taycan only comes as a sedan. It is powered by one electric motor placed on the rear axle that delivers 321 horsepower, but that can be increased to 401 horses with the Launch Control activated. The Taycan 4 on the other hand only comes in a Cross Turismo form. It delivers 375 horsepower in base form, or 469 horses with the same Launch Control active. The Porsche Taycan 4S can be had in both sedan and Cross Turismo body styles. It comes with 429 horses as standard or 522 horsepower with Launch Control on. The Taycan GTS also comes in two body styles: sedan and Sport Turismo. Its electric motors deliver a total of 509 horsepower (590 horses with Launch Control) and 627 pound-feet of torque. The Porsche Taycan Turbo can also be had in both sedan and Cross Turismo styles. Its electric motors deliver a combined 616 horsepower (or 670 horses with Launch Control over boost) and 627 pound-feet of torque. Finally, the top-of-the-line Porsche Taycan Turbo S delivers a total of 750 horsepower and can be had in the same sedan and Cross Turismo body styles.
9 Pro: Supercar-Rivaling Performance Figures
When Porsche initially launched the Taycan, everyone was somehow disappointed the company’s first electric car had nothing in common with the 911. The Taycan proved itself worthy of the logo it wears, though. In the base trim, the Porsche Taycan is not exactly a fast car: it needs 5.1 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph, but things get a lot better once you go higher in the range. The Taycan 4 goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds, the 4S in 3.8 seconds, while for the GTS the time goes down to 3.5 seconds. Now, it is the Porsche Taycan Turbo where the performance figures are close to supercar figures: it goes from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.0 seconds. Things are even better for the Porsche Taycan Turbo S which needs only 2.6 seconds to hit 60 mph. This may not be as impressive as the Tesla Model S Plaid, which does the same sprint in just 1.99 seconds, but it is enough to make it faster than models like the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ.
8 Pro: The Taycan Is The First Production Vehicle With 800-Volt Technology
While the 800-volt system voltage may be more common now, when the 2021 Porsche Taycan went on sale, it was the first electric vehicle to use it. Porsche opted for the 800-volt system instead of the usual 400 volts one because it enables consistent high performance, reduces the charging time, and decreases the weight and installation space of the cabling. And, while the technology may have been a first for road-going cars, Porsche used it successfully on its 919 Hybrid during the 2015, 2016, and 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans. This feature allows for an additional range of 62 miles to be added in just five minutes while charging from 5- to 80-percent takes only 22.5 minutes.
7 Pro: A Comfortable Cabin With Leather And Loads Of Options
We’re looking at a Porsche, so a fancy, comfortable cabin had to be a must. As standard, the Taycan has a four-seat layout, but a second-row middle seat can be added as an option. From the factory, the Porsche Taycan comes with eight-way power-adjustable front seats wrapped partially in leather upholstery, but there are plenty of other options to go for, including 18-way adaptive sports seats with a memory package with four-way lumbar support. The cabin can even be fully wrapped only in recycled materials, on special request. The driver and the front passenger are the ones enjoying most of the comfort, with plenty of headroom and legroom. But, because the back seats sit on the axle, things can be a little noisy there. Also, in the back, any adult over six feet is going to feel a little crowded.
6 Pro: Taycan Customization Options Explained
With the Taycan, like with every other Porsche model, the sky is the limit when it comes to customizing it the way you like. The Porsche Taycan is offered as standard with a basic black or white exterior finish, but there is a wide range of metallic colors, special colors, Porsche Paint To Sample colors, plus 65 additional colors from Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur to choose from. If you don't like the standard 19-inch Taycan Aero S, you can go for any other option up to the top of the line, the 21-inch Taycan Exclusive Design Wheels with aero blades in carbon. The same goes for the interior, there are lots of color and material packages to go for, plus five leather-free interiors. Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur also offers a lot to choose from for the interior too. There are also different types of seats to choose from, with different decorative stitching and contrasting colors. And then we have a huge range of individual options, like the Carbon SportDesign Package from Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur which puts a lot of carbon fiber on your car. Even the brakes and the Matrix LED headlights can be configured to your liking. So, with endless possibilities to go for, it will be very hard to have a Taycan similar to anyone else around you.
5 Con: It Can Get Very Expensive
As is the case with electric cars like the Tesla Model S priced from $94,990 and the Lucid Air from $87,400, the Porsche Taycan is not exactly an affordable car. Not that anyone expected that from a Porsche. While the Porsche Taycan starts relatively low at $86,700, it goes up very fast. A Porsche Taycan 4S will cost you $106,500 for the sedan and $113,000 for the Cross Turismo. The Porsche Taycan GTS is priced from $134,100 in the sedan form and from $136,000 for the Cross Turismo. Things can get very expensive if you want the Porsche Taycan Turbo models. The base version is priced at $153,300 and the Porsche Taycan Turbo S from $187,400. Remember that Porsche has a lot of options listed for the Taycan, and that could very easily increase prices to more than $250,000. Also, if you are looking for a Porsche Taycan for sale on the used market, you will be hit with the same huge prices, depending on the trim you're looking for.
4 Con: Electric Range Is the Taycan’s Achilles' Heel
Range-wise, the Porsche Taycan doesn't shine when compared to other models from the market. The German EV has a range between 206 and 246 miles, depending on the battery size and the electric motors. In comparison, the Model S goes up to 406 miles on a single charge, while the Lucid Air promises a range of up to 516 miles – which is more than double compared to the Taycan. The good thing is that the models equipped with the 93.4 kWh battery-pack can be charged from 5 to 80 percent in just 23 minutes, so you can still travel comfortably and fast from one place to another.
3 Con: The Limited Cargo Room Is Shameful
When it comes to cargo room, the Porsche Taycan doesn't do well. In fact, this is no surprise, since Porsche is known for not offering the best cargo room on the market: think, for example, 911’s trunk of just 5.1 cubic feet. The Taycan has a cargo room of 14.3 cubic feet, with the frunk adding another 2.9 cubic feet. On the other hand, models like Tesla Model S offer a generous 26 cubic feet cargo space, while the Lucid Air offers 16.1 cubic feet of cargo room in the trunk, and an additional 7.1 cubic feet in the frunk.
2 Con: Proof That A Car Can Have Too Much Technology
Just like with Tesla models, the Porsche Taycan has one big problem: everything in the car is controlled using the touchpads. Speaking of which, there are three screens in the Taycan as standard: a 16.8-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.9-inch touch screen serving as the infotainment, and a large 8.4-inch touch panel placed on the center console, but you can also add a fourth one: a 10.9-inch unit on the passenger side. Each of these screens comes with different functions. The 10.9-inch touch screen can be accessed by simply saying “Hey Porsche” and it gives access to all vehicle configurations, while the 8.4-inch touch panel can be used to control the air conditioning. This can be a lot to remember, and it can be confusing, at least until you get used to the car. There are just four physical controls in the entire car: the ignition switch, the gear selector, the park button, and the hazard-warning button, plus a few other buttons placed on the steering wheel that can come to your rescue when needed. But, in general, everything about the Taycan is controlled using the three screens.
1 Con: Porsche Hates The One-Pedal Driving Experience
Most electric cars these days come with the "one-pedal driving feature." This means that you will only have to use the accelerator pedal, even for controlling the deceleration of the vehicle or bringing it to a stop. This process is called regeneration and helps improve the car's range. Porsche, on the other hand, decided that the driving experience is a lot more important than range, which makes no sense when you are talking about an electric car. You will have to use the brake pedal to slow down or stop the car, which reduces the regeneration capability considerably.