[Auto] Reader test team: Porsche Taycan

[HiTLeR]

The first electric Porsche is a four-seat sports car with up to 750bhp and more than 200 miles of range. What Car? readers give their verdict...

 

 

The Taycan may be Porsche’s first electric car, but it’s still very much a proper Porsche. Just look at the spec sheet; even the cheapest model (for now, at least) makes 523bhp. Or how does 750bhp and 0-62mph in 2.6sec sound?

Having driven the Taycan already, we also know that its handling is very much in the vein of the 911 and not so much the Tesla Model S. But, thankfully, the scintillating performance doesn’t come at the expense of efficiency; the Taycan has an official range of between 207 and 288 miles, depending on specification.

In addition, it’s the first electric car to use an 800V architecture, meaning a 350kW public charger can refill its battery in as little as 20 minutes. But will it make readers excited to go electric?

 

 

Rob Skuse
Age 59 Job Retired Drives BMW M4, Porsche 911 GTS

“I like the design of the Taycan. Porsche has done a good job of making it look like a Porsche, thanks partly to some 911 cues.

“I’m not entirely convinced about the move to electric cars, but that’s largely because the charging infrastructure isn’t there yet; most of the time, I do short journeys, so I could run a Taycan without much trouble. The range would matter maybe twice a year for most people.

 

“I think manufacturers like Porsche coming into the electric market will make a big difference. The whole brand and the brilliant build quality make it far more appealing than a Tesla Model S.

“The Taycan’s performance sounds epic as well, yet it should still be very economical, unlike my petrol-powered sports cars.

“The interior is very nice – very similar to that of the latest 911. The seats are nice and low and the steering wheel the same, so it feels like a sports car from inside.

“I’d have gone for more of a mix of physical and touch controls, though. Touchscreens are fine for more intricate functions, but a simple button is much better on the move. I do like that you can get a head-up display, though.”

 

 

Anirudh Kapoor
Age 30 Job Dentist Drives Mercedes C-Class, Porsche Cayenne

“The Taycan represents the future of technology. For me, it’s the first electric car that’s appealing in its own right.

“The design is stunning; it makes Teslas seem plain. It has the spirit and soul of a ‘proper car’, and it looks futuristic without becoming alien.

“The ultra-fast charging and long range mean you could live with it daily, but you can also enjoy the Porsche side of it, because it has great performance and, I’m told, sports car handling.

 

 

“I commute 50 miles per day, so even the Taycan’s shortest range of 207 miles would be enough. Still, I’d feel more at ease with the 250-mile model, but then that would have a significant cost implication.

 

 

“All the screens inside are cool; the concave instrument display is very intuitive, and it’s good that the touchscreens give haptic feedback. I’m not sure the second touchscreen for the front passenger is necessary, though.

“My criticisms are that the leather could feel more premium and the back is a bit cramped; I was only just comfy, at 5ft 8in tall. The boot is a lot smaller than what I have at the moment, too.”