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As Porsche's first EV, the Taycan offers supercar performance along with a luxurious and quirky interior.
For the 2020 model year, many car manufacturers came out with new electric models in an attempt to compete with Tesla’s long-lived EV market domination, yet one particular brand truly shook the automotive industry with the release of the most highly-anticipated vehicle of the entire year. We’re talking about Porsche with its release of the Taycan, a fully-electric super sedan with gorgeous looks and head-rearing performance.
After being presented as a concept car back in 2015 - called the Mission e, Porsche began to develop what would ultimately become the Taycan, which officially launched for the 2020 model year. Despite commanding a hefty price, it became Porsche’s most sold performance car in 2021, surpassing the 911 in global sales and falling short only to the Macan and Cayenne SUV models.
Porsche has always been known for the production of amazing driver's cars that always seem to find the perfect balance between timeless exterior looks and engaging drivability. Even though there was room for error with the Taycan, seeing as it was the brand's first fully-electric vehicle ever, Porsche somehow managed to knock it out of the ballpark, presenting a vehicle that is fast, fun, quirky, and beautiful. Here’s why it’s the Porsche Taycan is a perfect car for driving enthusiasts.
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Currently, you can pick from 5 different Taycan trims - the base Taycan with 402 hp and optional extended battery, the 4S with 522 hp, the GTS with 590 hp, the Turbo with 670 hp, and the range-topping Taycan Turbo S with 750 hp and 775 pound-feet of torque. While all but the base version of the Taycan are extremely capable, especially when equipped with All-Wheel-Drive, the Turbo S takes things to a whole other level, with immense acceleration that allows it to blast from 0-60 mph in just 2.6 seconds. These numbers are unprecedented for most EV competitors aside from Tesla, which isn’t surprising when you consider Porsche’s performance pedigree. It’s always preferred power and drivability over practicality and efficiency, and the Taycan is no different. All current Taycan variants offer less than 300 miles of autonomous range, but then again, people who are interested in the Taycan don’t care about range.
In terms of drivability, Porsche worked all its German magic into the Taycan Turbo S, starting with the immense acceleration we already touched upon. Throttle response is instant, and flooring it literally throws you into the seat without remorse to the point where you’ll find yourself holding onto the steering wheel for dear life. Furthermore, the Taycan offers tight and precise steering far superior to any of its competitors, while maintaining a confident and stable stance even around tight corners. Lastly, unlike Teslas - which aren’t best suited for track days due to possible overheating issues, the Taycan Turbo S can easily tackle multiple laps without any struggles, since it was built with that intent from the start. When fitted with the optional Performance Package, the Taycan comes with rear-axle steering and active torque vectoring that vastly improve upon its already amazing handling.
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Like all Porsches, the interior of the Taycan is built with high-quality materials, all thrown into a layout that’s comfortable, easy to use and driver-oriented. After drooling at the sight and feel of the leather-upholstered bucket seats and trimming, you’ll find tons of screens with a variety of functions. First is a screen right in the middle of the center console that covers basic features such as climate control and power-operated hood and trunk controls; quite interestingly, it also serves as a touchpad that controls another screen mounted above the center console which covers the Taycan’s infotainment system.
Most impressive of all is the Porsche Taycan’s gauge cluster screen, featuring an enormous and curved glass panel with edges that are touch-sensitive, allowing you to control several vehicle functions such as automatic or parking lights, traction control, and even suspension. The gauge cluster itself is highly configurable and controlled using buttons that are mounted on the steering wheel.
Since there are plenty of options when it comes to the Taycan’s trims, the same is also true for pricing, and thankfully, the spectrum is wide enough to suit many budgets. The base-level Taycan starts at around $84,000, while the Taycan Turbo S tops off the range with a sticker price of $185,000.
To summarize, as Porsche’s first and only EV, the Taycan couldn’t have turned out any better, as it provides a driving experience unlike any other EV currently at its price point. When you pair that with its timeless design and great interior quality, you’ve got yourself a masterpiece of a car.
Santi for short, has been into cars for as long as he can remember, and took up writing as a hobby for nearly a decade to this day. As a student currently studying English Literature and Creative Writing, it's a dream come true to be able to combine both passions in this new chapter as an evergreen writer for HotCars. With a great range of knowledge about the past and current car industry, he looks forward to bringing new and engaging ideas to the website.