Porsche Taycan: the EV for driving enthusiasts
Electric vehicles have a bum rap of being soulless, emotionless, cold and indifferent machines, devoid of feel and passion. They are cynically misrepresented as four-wheeled appliances that remove all the adventure and excitement of motoring, replaced with a brutally calculated efficiency.
And while its true that the lack of any mechanical noise decreases the aural enjoyment, to readily dismiss EV’s as boring things on wheels are probably driving the wrong EV’s.
A quick glance reveals that the Taycan is very much a Porsche, taking the spirit of a 911, and transforming it for a new type of driver keen on clean, renewable energy for propulsion, with the added versatility of having two more doors at the back. The Taycan shares its basic silhouette with that of a 911, the two front fenders framing the long, low hood and the sloping fastback rear has that aerodynamically efficient teardrop profile.
Then there’s the feel: precise, well-weighted, progressive and accurate. From the feel-some steering brimming with alertness but devoid of nervousness, to the crisp (for an electric) throttle, and the reassuringly powerful brakes, to the way the suspension confidently carries the considerable weight of the Taycan as it confidently glides through fast sweeping corners and quick transitions. Though the base Taycan is rear-wheel driven only, the lack of drive going to the front wheels unburdens the front axle and delivers a more natural and organic feel. It was certainly a pleasure driving the Taycan on the highway, and on the winding roads heading up to Tagaytay. Kudos as well to the front double wishbone suspension offering excellent control.
There’s a permanent magnet synchronous motor on the rear with a 2-speed transmission that deploys 408hp and 345 Newton-Meters of torque from the rear-wheel drive variant. Doesn’t sound much in the world of high-performance luxury EV’s but trust me, it’s more than enough to land you into trouble. Porsche claims a range of as much as 431 kilometers which may not sound much but knowing them, their performance ratings are always on the conservative side of things. Battery capacity is a sizeable 79.2kw/h.
Move off normally from stop and power builds up progressively, just like a typical ICE vehicle. But floor it and the rears scramble for traction, the multi-link rear suspension working overtime as the Taycan accelerates at an alarming rate, dumping all its available 345 NM of torque instantly, many uninitiated to the ways of the EV are often overwhelmed / shocked at the sudden surge of power. To first timers, this is a favorite party trick /prank I enjoy playing on them. The indicated 5.4 second sprint to 100km/h from rest seems conservative indeed.
Ride quality is another excellent suit for the Taycan. Despite riding on huge 20-inch forged alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport shod 245/45R20 fronts and 285/40R20 rears, the Taycan has excellent comfort mated with superb body control thanks to the adaptive air suspension absorbing all the bumps, ruts and dips on the road. It also has a raised ride height mode, allowing you to tackle steep building parking ramps and the obscenely tall humps in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) where public chargers are plenty.
Even when you have to slog through traffic, the Taycan’s interior is a nice place to be: the 8-way power adjustable front seats provide surprisingly great comfort, with the Bose Surround Sound system playing my iTunes audio seamlessly through wireless Apple CarPlay. A passenger display ensures your front passenger has some control over his or her environment. Comfort access detects your presence before entering the car and pre-cools the interior which is handy in this insane summer heatwave.
Overall, don’t let the EV connotation fool you: the Taycan is a real Porsche, and a real driver’s car through and through. Interestingly, the Porsche name has a history with electric vehicles. In 1898, Ferdinand Porsche, who would then found his own sports car company designed the Egger-Lohner C.2 Phaeton. The vehicle was powered by an octagonal electric motor, and with three to five PS it reached a top speed of 25 km/h. So, an electric Porsche isn’t exactly a new and novel invention.
Ferdinand Alexander ‘Ferry’ Porsche, grandson of Ferdinand Porsche once famously said that “the last car built on earth will surely be a sports car.”
While the Taycan is nowhere near the last car being built, it carries the tradition, the legacy and the spirit of all other Porsche sports cars that came before it, soldiering on to the future, keeping cars passionate, enjoyable and interesting.
