Test drive of the Porsche Taycan: putting the electric vehicle to the test against the Ukrainian winter chill.
At one point, the Porsche Taycan was the first sports electric vehicle to officially enter the Ukrainian market. Over the years, the number of competitors for this car has significantly increased, making it time for an update. Journalists from RBC-Ukraine Auto had the opportunity to test the 570-horsepower all-wheel-drive version. Interestingly, our introduction coincided with record-breaking winter frosts.
Update for the Observant
The Taycan became the first production electric car from Porsche. Despite the new powertrain for the company, the designers chose not to drastically alter the car's design compared to the brand's well-known models.
Among the distinctive design elements are the upwardly protruding front and rear fenders, the sloping line of the rear pillars, narrow rear lights, and, most importantly, the near-complete absence of sharp angles and edges. Some might find this unexciting? Perhaps. But it certainly pays homage to tradition. Overall, global markets have received the car favorably. In terms of sales volume, it has outperformed the 718 and Panamera models, maintaining annual sales of around 40-45 thousand units.
The exterior of the Taycan has not changed dramatically but rather in specific areas. The main update is that the headlights have become slightly larger. The company has also rethought the bumpers, and a three-dimensional Porsche inscription with various lighting modes now appears on the strip connecting the rear lights. Additionally, the color palette for the body has been expanded.
In general, the Porsche Taycan is a four-door sedan, although many perceive the trunk to open along with the rear window due to the sleek line of the rear window. The car features frameless doors, which may take some getting used to; don’t be alarmed when the windows automatically raise or lower by half a centimeter each time the doors are opened or closed.
Completing the sleek look are retractable door handles. In fact, they are not flush with the door but are "maximally pressed" against it. However, when you approach the electric vehicle with the key fob in your pocket, the car recognizes you and automatically "releases" the handles. With a length of 4963 mm and a width of 1966 mm, the electric vehicle is 86 mm shorter but 29 mm wider than the Porsche Panamera liftback. The body structure is steel, but most of the exterior panels are made of aluminum.
Everyone Gets a Screen
With the update, the interior of the electric vehicle has hardly changed. The model we tested features a cabin lavishly trimmed with natural leather, not only covering the two rows of seats but also the transmission tunnel, door cards, etc. For true adherents of a "green" lifestyle, Porsche also offers more eco-friendly options made from a combination of Race-Tex microfiber and wool fabric.
Porsche enthusiasts will notice that traditional features of Porsche vehicles have been retained in the cabin; however, there are almost no analog buttons or switches left. In front of the driver is a curved instrument display with a diagonal of 16.8 inches, which has four display modes, with touch buttons for external lighting and driving mode changes located at the edges. The main engine start button is positioned in the traditional place for Porsche cars, namely to the left of the steering wheel.
The sporty yet slim steering wheel (a nod to tradition) features a switch for the driving electronics modes. In addition to a couple of sporty modes and a standard one, there is also a Range mode focused on maximizing driving range. Most electric vehicles refer to this as "Eco," but that’s not in Porsche’s spirit.
The central media system display has a diagonal of 10.9 inches; in our electric vehicle, a similar screen is also installed as an option in front of the passenger. Their functionalities partially overlap. Thus, the "navigator" and the driver won’t interfere with each other when selecting multimedia functions. Among the passenger's capabilities are exploring the navigation map and controlling audio files or the radio.
The central console features a touch display with a diagonal of 8.4 inches, which offers an unusual but immediately understandable feedback in the form of a light vibration when pressed. This display is responsible for climate control functions. Another option is a 5.9-inch screen for rear passengers. With the update, the media system has gained deeper integration with Apple CarPlay, and programmers have improved its responsiveness.
The semi-reclined seating position at the wheel requires some adjustment, but overall, sitting in the car is comfortable, and there are no issues with getting in and out. An important warning for winter: due to the horizontal position of the legs, it’s advisable to choose comfortable footwear; it’s inconvenient and even dangerous to drive in large winter "boots." In the back row, there is enough space for only two adult passengers to travel comfortably.
Before the test, there were some concerns about the climate control system's performance. However, the car features all possible heating options (for the steering wheel and both rows of seats), as well as a heat pump. This essentially acts as a "reverse air conditioner": it uses waste heat from the transmission and battery to evaporate the refrigerant, while the condenser coil, heating up, warms the cabin. Naturally, electric "shades" help to circulate warm air into the cabin more quickly.
Another interesting feature of the car is that it has two trunks. The main rear trunk has a capacity of 366 liters, while the front compartment is designed for 81 liters. Both can be opened from the key fob or from within the cabin. The rear compartment also features a sleek button located in the center of the rear bumper.
Hold Me Seven
It might seem like we’re discussing a facelifted electric vehicle, yet we hardly mention the changes. This is because most of them are hidden in the technology. Thus, the electric vehicle has received a lighter traction battery. In our case with the Taycan 4S, its capacity has increased from 79.2 to 89 kWh. Its 800-volt architecture has allowed for an increase in peak DC charging power from 270 to 320 kW. With the appropriate charging infrastructure, it’s possible to charge the battery from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes. Unfortunately, there are currently no more than ten charging stations of that power in Ukraine.
The universal power units, which combine the electric motor, gearbox, and power electronics, have also been modernized. Their specific energy efficiency and power density have improved, and the peak recovery power has increased from 290 to 400 kW.
Additionally, our test vehicle has become more powerful with the update - 544 hp instead of 530 hp, and the acceleration dynamics have also improved - to 3.7 seconds. It’s noted that under ideal conditions, the electric vehicle can travel up to 561 km. In the frosty realities of Ukraine, the electric vehicle promised about 430 km on a full charge.
The Porsche Taycan is an incredibly fast electric vehicle. However, the car can change very quickly. In normal and economical modes, the vehicle accelerates confidently but quite smoothly. Yet, when you activate "Sport" or "Sport Plus," you can barely react before seeing "well over 120" on the speedometer. The driver literally feels a slight jolt, but you get used to it. The main thing is that the exhilarating drive remains safe for yourself and others.
With the change in modes, the car's suspension characteristics also change. Firstly, the sportier the mode, the more the car "drops" to the ground thanks to the air suspension, which can adjust the clearance. There are four standard positions in total. Additionally, the shock absorber travel decreases, making bumps feel sharper. However, in "Comfort," the car on low-profile winter tires doesn’t seem too stiff - it’s quite comfortable to drive around the city even in winter with ice and other surprises on the road.
However, you should remember the low ground clearance when crossing speed bumps and tram tracks. By the way, the car is fitted with specially designed "hard" studless winter tires from Goodyear UltraGrip Performance.
When "cold," with all heating functions activated, the Porsche electric vehicle consumes about 28-30 kWh per 100 km of travel. Overall, this is about 20-25% more than in summer under similar driving conditions. Interestingly, when the car warms up, the consumption drops to 23-24 kWh/100 km. However, if you frequently try to "win traffic lights," consumption can easily rise to 40 kWh.
Price of the Matter
In the Ukrainian market, the Porsche Taycan electric vehicle is available in sedan and wagon bodies. For the sedan, there are seven versions offered - from the base model simply named Taycan to the extreme Taycan Turbo GT. While the youngest variant boasts 408 hp and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds, starting at 4,108,