Porsche surprises with new Taycan electric car price
New Porsche Taycan electric car undercuts the 911 Carrera coupe while making Tesla’s Model S look comparatively cheap.
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Porsche’s hotly-anticipated Taycan electric car will cost at least $50,000 less than its 911 Coupe in Australia.
The Tesla-fighting sedan has attracted more interest than any new model in Porsche’s storeyed history, both from existing owners and people new to the brand.
Porsche confirmed local prices for the Taycan’s three trim lines this week.
The entry-level Taycan 4S costs $191,000 plus on-road costs (about $205,000 drive-away), while the mid-range Taycan Turbo asks $269,100 plus on-road costs (about $290,000 drive-away).
Range-topping Taycan Turbo S models are priced from $339,100 plus on-road costs (about $360,000 drive-away).
Victorian customers will pay $206,554 drive-away for the cheapest Taycan, $61,041 less than the entry-level 911 Carrera.
The Taycan 4S combines 390kW of combined power from front and rear electric motors with a 79.2kWh battery – enough for a claimed 365 kilometres of range and a 4.0 second dash to 100km/h.
Mid-grade Turbo models blend 500kW power with a 93.4kWh battery to deliver a 3.2 second 0-100km/h time and 420 kilometres of range.
Top-of-the-line Taycan Turbo S variants get a stirring 560kW of power, along with a 2.8 second sprint time and 405 kilometres of claimed range. That makes it one of the fastest and most powerful cars on sale.
Owners get three years of free access to the ChargeFox EV network for driving on the road, but will need to pay to have a home charger installed to reduce charging times.
The Taycan’s 800-volt electrical architecture allows fasters charging times than most electric cars, though few charging stations can meet its 270kW peak charging capacity – most public chargers are around the 50kW mark.
Porsche has responded to criticism surrounding underwhelming standard equipment levels by stacking the Taycan with gear which costs more in its petrol-powered cars.
Adaptive cruise control, a Bose stereo, 360-degree camera, ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, 20-inch wheels and other gear as standard to the Taycan would add nearly $15,000 to the price of a Cayenne SUV.
EV fans will note Tesla’s halo model claims to be faster (the Model S Performance claims 2.5s for the 0-100km/h time) and further-reaching (the long-range variant claims 713km, measured using a more generous standard).
The Tesla is also far cheaper, priced from $149,000 to $196,000 drive-away in Model S form.
Nevertheless, our European correspondent John Carey was blown away by the Taycan Turbo on a German test drive, declaring it “the world’s most desirable EV” owing to fast charging times, crisp handling and rock-solid build quality.
Porsche Taycan Turbo
Price: About $290,000 drive-away
Safety: 5 stars, 10 airbags, AEB, active cruise control, lane keeping assistance, blind spot monitoring, 360 degree camera.
Motors: Synchronous AC, 500kW/850Nm combined, battery 93kWh
Consumption: 26kWh/100km
Range: About 420 kilometres
0-100km/h: 3.2 seconds
Cargo: 366 litres
Originally published as Porsche surprises with new Taycan electric car price
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