That’s ‘tie-can,’ got it?
Much to our surprise, German performance marque Porsche has decided that its first-ever electric vehicle, a four-door super-saloon that’ll take on the Tesla Model S directly, will be called the ‘Taycan.’ The name was revealed at an event hosted by the brand, aimed to enshrine the spirit of the “lively young horse” (which is what ‘Taycan’ apparently translates as) that has featured in the centre of the Porsche badge since its inception.
While the name is a big departure from the ‘Mission E’ moniker that’s been used to refer to the car since time immemorial, everything else remains status quo. So there’ll be two permanently-synchronous motors (PSM) that provide over 440kW of shove. 100km/h can be achieved from rest in less than 3.5-seconds, while 12-seconds of full-throttle will get you north of 200km/h.
It’d be understandable to assume that hooniganism would be met with a compromised driving range, but Porsche says otherwise. The Taycan is claimed to offer some 500km of range per full charge, with fast-charging via Porsche’s 800-volt system will replenish 100km of range with just a 4-minute plug-in.
With €6-billion set to be invested in electromobility by 2022, Porsche’s not kidding when it comes to what’s being dubbed as ‘Mobility 2.0.’ Some €500-million will be thrown at the Taycan and its derivatives (three variants of the car are planned, with different body styles likely to follow), while €1-billion will go towards the electrification of Porsche’s existing range. Another €700-million will go towards new technological innovations and charging infrastructure, while several hundred million Euro will go to the bolstering and improvement of production facilities for the brand.
Zuffenhausen, the home of Porsche, will also see a raft of improvements as part of the brand’s investments. A new, dedicated assembly site for the Taycan will be built, along with a new paint shop, while the existing engine plant there will be expanded to include the production of electric drivetrains. This is expected to crate some 1,200 new jobs for the city.
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