As Porsche chose to debut its first-ever production EV, the Taycan, in their fastest and most highly-specified if somewhat confusing guises, Turbo and Turbo S, it would only be a matter of time until the lower rung variants started to bubble up to the surface.
The first to emerge is the Taycan 4S, something of a mid-range entrant into the Zuffenhausen automaker’s electric portfolio. For the record, we expect the following reveal to be the entry-level rear-driven variant, dubbed plainly ‘Taycan’ to follow the example set by other base models from the Panamera to the Macan to the Cayenne and even the 718 Cayman and Boxster.
Expected to drop within the same launch window as the two range-toppers, the 4S should boast a starting price a tad more than half of what Porsche would be asking for the Turbo S in their respective markets. For example, for the US market, the Taycan Turbo S starts $185,000 while the Taycan 4S’ initial pricing pegs it at around $104,000.
Interestingly, Porsche is also offering each 4S with differing specifications. Choosing from either the Performance or Performance Plus impacts the 4S battery capacity (and therefore maximum range) as well as the maximum output from its electric motors. Like the 911, its name denotes its all-wheel drive capability, made possible here by an electric motor located on each of its two axles.
The lower-tier Taycan 4S Performance’s motors will generate 390kW with a bank of lithium ion cells capable of storing 79.2kWh that’s able to deliver a range of up to 407km - this is rather respectable. However, paying extra for the Performance plus ups battery capacity to 93.4kWh, allowing peak power to be raised to 420kW and range to 463km.
Of course, neither permutation of the 4S can touch the Taycan Turbo S’ 550kW output or its 3.2 second century sprint, but even the 4S Performance seems to exceed the top-spec car’s on-paper maximum driving range by a hair.
Also noteworthy is the identical 4.0 second 0-100km/h acceleration time of both the 4S Performance and Performance Plus. By that same token, their 250km/h top speed shouldn’t surprise anyone.
Due to its gap in sheer output, Porsche has seen fit to equip the 4S with smaller diameter brakes front and rear and smaller 19-inch alloys. Apart from this and the obvious change in badging, the 4S is visually very similar to the top-spec variants and its red painted callipers do provide some degree of menace, as does its included aero kit comprising of a front apron, side sills and rear diffuser.
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