Since its debut in 2019, the Porsche Taycan Turbo S has been the preferred choice among fans looking for exciting performance and precise handling without sacrificing versatility.
This debut marked the first time an electric vehicle could compete with the Tesla Model S in terms of performance, attractiveness, and usefulness while being noticeably more fun to drive.
Simply put, the Porsche Taycan Turbo S is everything we could have hoped for in Porsche's first electric vehicle, thanks to its electric powertrain and high-speed charging capability. Find out more about this thrilling, fully electric package by reading this in-depth guide we prepared.
In addition to its excellent handling, the 2023 Porsche Taycan Turbo S has impressive acceleration, racing from 0 to 60 miles per hour (mph) in just 2.4 seconds. It is one of the fastest electric cars – the only vehicles capable of surpassing this speed is the Porsche 918 Spyder and Lamborghini Huracán Performante.
In addition, this high-end sports sedan can reach speeds of up to 162 miles per hour. Even so, the Turbo S isn't only about lightning-fast acceleration.
Being a first-generation EV, the Taycan features a two-speed transmission and an 800-volt electrical system. Because of this, its acceleration is phenomenal, and its recharge time is swift.
Competitiveness towards the Tesla Model S inspired Porsche to create the Taycan. Unlike Tesla, which benefits from broad-based access to charging hubs, the Porsche Taycan is focused solely on speed.
The sleek sports sedan is a fast car, and it can travel further on a single charge – more than many older, more costly Porsche models.
The Taycan's massive horsepower ranges from 522 hp (4S with base battery) up to 750 hp when using the Turbo S. Yet the truth is that this tremendous acceleration lasts for only a few seconds before power lowers to protect the driveshaft and its other electrical components from overheating.
Due to its seamless operation, the remarkable two-speed transmission that swaps gears when driving goes unnoticed. Nonetheless, the Taycan's rocket-like acceleration makes most other cars look slow compared to when the launch control is engaged.
The Taycan has shown steady performance during testing because its battery charge never became severely drained.
According to the EPA, the Taycan Turbo S has a poor 192-mile range. The 21-inch-wheeled Tesla Model S Performance is the closest competitor to the Taycan, and it has an EPA-confirmed range of 326 miles.
Although Porsche's charging time is less than Tesla's, there are far fewer charging stations capable of supplying the 270 kilowatts required for a 75% recharge in 22.5 minutes.
Nonetheless, Porsche's tolerance for the mileage range does not mean they approve of the figure. Porsche contracted AMCI, an independent testing agency, to conduct a different range test. In contrast, the Turbo S's alleged "real-world" figure of 278 miles differed significantly from the EPA's estimate.
Interestingly, that's better than the AMCI's combined figure of 275 miles for the Turbo, although Porsche said the difference is due to the tires they used. AMCI fitted more abrasive Michelin Pilot Sport4 summer tires on the Turbo, while Continental ProContact all-season tires were mounted on the Turbo S.
That being said, the real-world mileage range ultimately depends on factors like car accessories used, the weather, and how hard you drive.
The Taycan Turbo S is an all-wheel-drive (AWD) Porsche, a fully-electric sports car powered by a pair of electric motors, one mounted at each wheel.
The Turbo S has a 460 kW system, which produces 774 lb-ft of torque and 616 horsepower (750 hp with overboost). This model has a total charging duration of 10.5 hours for alternating current, 93 minutes with 50kW for direct current for an 80% battery, and 22.5 minutes for direct current using the maximum charging power for 80% of the battery.
As mentioned before, the Taycan has a lightning-fast acceleration time of 2.6 seconds when going from 0 to 60 mph. The electric Turbo S can reach a top speed of 161 mph and has a maximum range of 278 miles.
The Porsche Taycan Turbo S looks almost identical to the design and trim levels of the Taycan Turbo. The fact that Porsche could successfully adapt the Taycan's exterior design for a new four-door variant is intriguing. It has a distinct, interesting appearance that is still unmistakably very Porsche.
The car exterior shares numerous design cues with previous models from the company. It's a Porsche, and you'd know it even if you didn't know it was electric. The Taycan is a muscular-looking four-door sports car that seems curvy and elegant.
There's also the cabin, which sports familiar designs. Although the interior's various touchscreen infotainment systems are cutting-edge and innovative for Porsche, the layout is unmistakably a Porsche and appears to be based on the legendary 911. The 911's successful features were adopted for this new vehicle, intended to inspire future generations of electric cars.
The rest of the tech, including the instrument cluster and the infotainment screen, is also cutting-edge. The manufacturer invested effort into ensuring the infotainment system was state-of-the-art. It comes standard with modern conveniences like Porsche Connect, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, and more.
There are numerous factors to consider when attempting to identify the best features of the Porsche Taycan Turbo S. One of its many strengths is its attractive design, which is both modern and distinctly Porsche.
You might also examine its interior, which is often seen as evidence of the minimalist technology that characterizes the vehicle. The Taycan Turbo S's powertrain is a strong contender for the most outstanding feature due to the vehicle's blistering top speed and the driver-friendly nature of its handling.
Porsche claims that the Taycan has all-wheel drive thanks to the presence of two electric motors – one mounted on each axle. Hairpin winding is a unique design feature contributing to the motors' high output.
The stator's coils are hairpin-shaped, hence the name so that they may be packed more tightly and, in turn, generate more power. Moreover, they may be cooled with substantially less energy consumption.
Pulse-controlled inverters, one for each motor, are installed in the drive modules in the front and back of the vehicle.
Pulse-controlled inverters transform the direct current from the Performance Battery Plus into the alternating current used to power the electric motors. Similarly, the battery is charged by converting alternating current into direct current when the vehicle brakes.
Although the process is highly technological and complex, this meticulous planning allows the Taycan to move efficiently.
In Sport Plus mode, its two motors generate 761 PS (560 KW), whereas, in all other modes, they produce 625 PS. Just as impressive is the electric Turbo S's ability to generate 774 lb-ft of torque.
Power is reportedly transmitted using a two-speed rear transmission and a single-gear front transmission, as stated by Goodwood.
The performance metrics are impressive, but that's to be expected. The Turbo S has incredible mid-range acceleration, going from 49 to 74 miles per hour in just 1.7 seconds. Those staggeringly impressive numbers make even supercars look bad compared to the electric Turbo S.
True, most EV Taycan owners probably won't ever hit the racetrack. But knowing that it is capable of so much is reassuring.
While it has a relatively hefty weight of 2.3 tonnes, the Taycan Turbo S feels surprisingly agile after just a few laps. Even the stifling acceleration, braking, and corner grip are unmistakable.
It boasts the lowest center of gravity than any Porsche road car has ever had, thanks to the battery pack's position along the car's base, between the axles. You can even sense it.
Its sophisticated AWD Porsche system, rear axle steering, and torque vectoring allow for a surprising degree of agility while turning corners.
The trend towards electric vehicles feels like a phenomenon of the 21st century. Yet, not only does the Porsche electric history go back to the late 1800s, but the man who created Porsche, the company's namesake, was an early advocate of battery-powered transportation.
Exactly 110 years before the debut of the 2010 Cayenne S Hybrid, the first electric Porsche of the current era, Ferdinand Porsche developed the very first hybrid car, which was presented as a prototype in 1900.
Even as a young boy, Ferdinand Porsche was deeply interested in electricity. In 1893 at 18, Ferdinand built a lighting system inside his parents' house, demonstrating the technical and engineering competence that would define his career.
A short time later, young Ferdinand began to design automobiles powered by electric motors while working for the Vienna-based company Vereinigte Elektrizitäts-AG Béla Egger.
The original Porsche electric car and the modern Porsche Taycan couldn't be more dissimilar. The Egger-Lohner C.2 Phaeton, first shown to the public in 1898, had an octagon electric motor with a maximum output of 5 hp, a range of about 80km and a top speed of 35 km/h.
Since it was Ferdinand's first attempt at designing a car, he gave it the name "P1" to signify the first Porsche car to exist.
Porsche also created the world's first practical hybrid vehicle, the "Semper Vivus" (Latin for "always living"), in 1900. The Lohner-Porsche system wasn't just useful for EVs; it had a wide range of potential uses outside of electric vehicles.
Porsche increased the vehicle's range by using the combustion engine to power a generator, which in turn supplied electrical energy to the vehicle's wheel hubs. The Lohner-Porsche "Mixte" was born a year later as the production-ready version.
Despite its modest power output, the Lohner-Porsche's weight of over two tonnes showed why electric vehicles have failed over the years. Electromobility was halted for a long time due to insufficient infrastructure and limited range.
More than a century later, with the invention of vehicle-grade lithium-ion batteries and stricter regulations on pollution and carbon dioxide emissions, attention has once again turned to electric drive systems.
In 2010, Porsche introduced the Cayenne S Hybrid, paving the way for electric vehicles at the company. The Panamera S Hybrid, which has a fuel economy of 6.8 l/100 km (NEDC) despite its 380hp power output, was the most fuel-efficient Porsche to date and the first parallel complete hybrid in the luxury vehicle class. In 2011, Porsche also experimented with three electric Boxster E prototypes.
Porsche's plug-in hybrid electric car lineup includes the Panamera E-Hybrid and the Cayenne E-Hybrid. Its fully-electric sports car lineup consists of the Taycan, demonstrating the company's commitment to electromobility in the present and the future. And it all started roughly 125 years ago using technology developed by Ferdinand Porsche.
In the United States Porsche market, the base price for a Porsche Taycan Turbo S starts at $185,000. Turbo S Cross Turismo models cost up to $190,000. This makes them far more expensive than the Taycan 4S, which costs $103,800. Since these represent the current pinnacle of the model's evolution, it's not surprising that they cost this much.
This is more expensive than the Tesla Model S, the primary competitor to the Porsche Taycan. Prices for the base Tesla begin at about $80,000, with the Performance variant starting at around $100,000.
You can, of course, keep modifying the Tesla until its price goes through the roof. Although, Porsche will need to rely on higher performance and consumer recognition of the Porsche name to make up for the deficit.
The Porsche Taycan’s top competitors include the BMW i7, BMW 8 Series, Audi RS E-Tron GT, Mercedes-Benz EQS, Mercedes-Benz AMG E 63, Mercedes-Benz EQS, Porsche Cayenne Coupe, Porsche 718, Tesla Model S, and Lucid Air Grand Touring.
Competition among major automakers of all-electric sports sedans is rising. Although Tesla was the first to introduce a truly innovative product, Porsche has already stepped up with the stunning Taycan Turbo S, and now Lucid has introduced the Air.
Audi's E-Tron GT, based on the same architecture as the Taycan, and the new Mercedes-Benz's all-electric flagship, the EQS, are the most recent entrants in this market. The 2023 BMW i7 has also joined the group recently, having made its premiere in January of this year.
There is a lot of mileage being put out by all of these EVs, and lucid's Air Grand Touring became the very first vehicle to achieve a range of 500 miles. When equipped with the Performance Battery, the Turbo S has an EPA-estimated range of only 192 miles, making it the shortest-ranged production electric car currently available.
When it comes to quarter-mile acceleration, both the Lucid and the Tesla are formidable opponents. Yet, Tesla says it’s the fastest electric car of the two claiming that the Plaid can go from 0 to 60 mph in 2 seconds, making it clear that the Lucid couldn't compete with the Model S.
The Audi E-Tron GT and Porsche Taycan are comparable in many respects because they share a battery and platform.
The luxury-oriented i7 comes in last, but its 4.5-second sprint to 60 mph is still very respectable, considering it is the largest and probably the heaviest sedan here. Considering the car weighs nearly 6,000 pounds, that's a pretty decent number.
It is estimated that the worldwide market for electric vehicles will continue to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.7% over the next few years.
In fact, by 2030, the number of units is expected to rise from 8.1 million to 39.21 million. Several factors, including environmental concerns, are fueling this rapid growth.
Electric cars are becoming increasingly commonplace, and a growing selection of all-electric automobiles is available. Since countries like the United Kingdom have a set deadline of 2030 to end sales in combustion autos and the electric impact is in high gear, it's not surprising that diesel's market share is shrinking.
Significant investment and the growth of charging infrastructure are being made to meet the demands of lower prices and a wider range of models.
There are some significant advantages of what these electric cars will do for us in the very near future.
First, it’s known that electric vehicle (EV) customers spend far less on energy and maintenance costs than those who purchase a gasoline-powered vehicle because an EV has fewer moving parts than a gas engine, which makes it simpler to maintain.
Second, by switching to electric mobility, we can prevent the release of almost a gigaton of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by 2030. This is a fantastic plan to improve the environment and the public's health. As harmful emissions are reduced, air quality improves, and people experience fewer health issues.
Lastly, there are no gears in an electric car, which makes for a great ride with simple handling. It's easy to operate and provides a peaceful, convenient, and quiet ride; all you need to do is accelerate, steer, and brake.
Electrek reported that the recent EY Mobility Consumer Index (MCI) shows that 52% of consumers around the globe are interested in purchasing an electric vehicle. This marks the first time this threshold has been crossed, and the increase of 22% over just two years is significant.
Consistent with the EY analysis, BloombergNEF predicts that the number of EVs on the road will climb dramatically by 2025. This is due to rising international governmental pressure, an expanding selection of EV models, and rising customer demand.
The number of plug-in vehicles sold is expected to increase to 20.6 million by 2025, according to a Bloomberg NEF forecast. The percentage of new passenger vehicles sold worldwide that are plug-in hybrids or fully electric will rise to 23% in 2025 from under 10% in 2021. The vast majority, or 75%, will be powered only by electricity.
There have been rumors of a hybrid Porsche 911 for a long time. A four-year-old talking point of the current 911 chassis, also called the 992, was its gearbox's ability to accommodate an electric powertrain.
Although Porsche's top engineer for the 911 then, August Achleitner, claimed in November 2018 that the company had not committed to building a hybrid, that position has since changed.
Chairman of both Porsche and Volkswagen Group, Oliver Blume, told Car magazine that the company is indeed working on a hybrid version of the 911.
He stated that eventually, they hope to have combustion engine versions, hybrid versions, and fully electric versions in each of their segments (i.e. two-door sports cars, four-door [sedans], and SUVs).
Porsche has announced that they will release a fully electric version of their flagship 718 model, and they also plan to add a sporty hybridization to their iconic 911 two-door sports car.
Although Blume did reaffirm Porsche's objective of 80% electrified sales by 2030, he did not give a particular date for the debut of a 911 hybrid. He continued to say that the 911 is the type we will keep driving for as long as possible with a conventional internal combustion engine.
Porsche could release a hybrid version of the 992 when it updates the model in the following year or two, but it could also hold off until it unveils an entirely new 911 later in the decade.
Porsche would likely have an easier time fitting the necessary batteries for a hybrid model into a new 911 chassis than into the 992. Even with the addition of a motor to the transmission, there is little extra room in the 992.
Porsche may have removed the front trunk from the new GT3 RS to improve aerodynamics, but it seems unlikely that the company will install a battery pack there for a hybrid version of the car.
Even so, there is still a possibility that the 992 could be a hybrid vehicle. In fact, Porsche was seen just a few months ago testing a car like this at the Nürburgring.
The Porsche Taycan is an outstanding machine that, from all accounts, lives up to the spirit of the Porsche brand while also providing the electric car market with precisely what it needs.
How this model compares to the Tesla Model S, especially the Model S, will be fascinating to see unfold. The 2023 Porsche Taycan Turbo S will fully compete with Tesla, Porsche's primary rival in this market.
It would be fascinating to watch how critics and the public receive future variants like the 911 hybrid, as the Turbo S was a solid initial move for the brand.
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