The Porsche Taycan has mainly been in the news for two reasons – the exorbitant price and the laughable range. In fact, Porsche recently said that it doesn’t consider Tesla as its rival. While this is true to an extent, it still sounded like a justification because it couldn’t match the latter’s battery range. Well, it looks like Porsche is going to get some heat for this as well. The company is coming up with a cheaper trim of the Taycan with a two-wheel-drive configuration and a ‘smaller battery’.
A Cheaper Taycan Is Already In The Works
In an interview with CAR Magazine, Porsche’s Research and Development Chief Dr. Michael Steiner said that a cheaper, two-wheel-drive Taycan trim is in the works. The Taycan’s lineup will certainly benefit from cheaper models since the most affordable model as of now is the Taycan 4S which starts at $105,150. A model that would start in the five-digit figure will attract a larger customer base.
The Taycan 4S features a 79.2-kWh battery pack as standard, but the early models are being made with a 93.4-kWh battery pack and that adds $6,580 to the base price. The additional amount is for the bigger battery that Porsche calls ‘Performance Battery Plus Option’. This battery comes with an EPA-estimated range of 203 miles and a WLTP-estimated range of 252 miles.
The Taycan Is Delivering A Lot More Range In The Real World
Autoblog recently tested the Taycan 4S as well as the Taycan Turbo, and both the models delivered a range well-beyond EPA’s estimate. Both models feature a 93.4-kWh battery. The 4S' range is rated at 203 miles whereas the Turbo's is rated at 201 miles.
According to the publication’s test, the Taycan Turbo had 78 miles left after being driven for 209 miles, which means a range of 287 miles. The 4S, on the other hand, covered 213.5 miles and had 87 miles of range left in the pack, which results in a 300.5-mile range. This is a whole lot more than the official estimations.
The True Base Taycan Will Be Rated Under 200 Miles
Just to be clear, the 203-mile range is for the Taycan 4S equipped with the bigger 93.4-kWh battery pack. This is what Autoblog had to say post the test:
“This result in the Taycan 4S is possible because all early-build cars are being made with the larger 93.4-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery option that is the standard offering on Turbo models. The true base 4S and its 79.2-kWh battery won’t be built for some time, so we won’t know its official range (172-175, I’m guessing) until later.”
Final Thoughts
So, what are we looking at in case of a smaller battery pack in the upcoming cheaper Taycan? Since it will be a two-wheel-drive trim with less power, there won’t be a significant drop when compared to the Taycan 4S’ 79.2-kWh pack. But, a rating of under 200 miles – which will certainly be the case – will instil a mental block in the minds of potential customers. Hence, it is a little worrisome, even if it exceeds EPA estimates.
To list out the prices, the mid-range Taycan Turbo starts at $150,900 and the top-spec Taycan Turbo S retails from $185,000. Although the base Porsche Taycan 4S starts at $105,150, it is still some time away. For now, you can only get the 4S with the 93.4-kWh pack that will cost you an additional $6,580, thus bringing the starting price to $111,730.
What are your thoughts on a cheaper Taycan with a smaller battery pack? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.