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Power Transportation Technology

Up Close With the Taycan, Porsche's First Electric Car (theverge.com) 112

After being teased and promoted for four years, Porsche has officially revealed their first electric car called the Taycan. The Verge's Sean O'Kane shares his first impressions of the $150,900 supercar: The fuller picture Porsche painted about the Taycan on Wednesday is one of an electric sports car that will hang with the fastest vehicles on the market, all without sacrificing practicality. It's an EV imbued with characteristics that were forged in the automaker's storied motorsports program, and a vehicle that marks the beginning of a new era in the company's long history. The Taycan feels like a car that can inspire people to switch to electric propulsion in a way that only Tesla has really achieved so far. It's got the kind of verve that the Audi E-Tron, Mercedes-Benz EQC, and Jaguar I-Pace completely lack.

The thing Porsche wants people to focus on more than the 2.6-second 0-60mph time (3.0 seconds for the base Taycan Turbo) is the car's ability to repeat that performance without overheating the battery pack or restricting the power output. That will likely be an advantage the Taycan holds onto for a few years, and for people who care about putting this car through the ringer, it's going to make the price tag a bit more palatable. [...] The Taycan follows in the footsteps of Tesla, which has helped inspire automakers to just design beautiful cars that happen to be electric. It has all the beautiful curves and details one expects from a modern Porsche, with a few -- like the vegan interior option -- that are less typical. One thing that surprised me about the Taycan is the interior: it felt less obnoxious than it looked in the photos Porsche released a few weeks ago. Granted, the optional passenger side screen is a bit much. But the two main screens that come standard on the car are big and clear enough to offer a lot of information at once, and they blend into the car well. The center screen especially feels well-integrated; since it's not surrounded by gauche plastic buttons, you have to hunt for the seams where it disappears into the dashboard.

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Up Close With the Taycan, Porsche's First Electric Car

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  • If I'm paying those prices I want something that looks a bit more exotic than a mid-grade Acura.

    • by Greyfox ( 87712 )
      Not me, man. I want something that looks like a Yugo but will blow the doors off everything else on the road in acceleration and cornering. Though really I can get enough performance to really get in trouble with an Atom for around 45 grand, not like I need to be looking at a six digit sportscar.
      • by rtb61 ( 674572 )

        If I want to pay for poseur status, oh wait, it's an utterly idiotic thing to do and only marks you as a gullible victim of marketing, yeah sure, you genitals are better than everyone else's when you but this car. How useful is it, how efficient is it and will I look like a poseur tool driving it (if you want to look like one, well, go for it). Quite, comfortable ride, good visibility, useful cargo carrying capacity, relatively compact and as such easier to drive and efficient (who wants to be seen as an en

        • by Rei ( 128717 )

          Well, the rear seat [teslarati.com] is large enough to seat a couple toddlers (and what's with that tear in the back?), the WLTP combined range is 401-417km / 249-259mi (which implies EPA ranges in the ~210 mi ballpark), the UI lag [twitter.com] is like what you'd find on the display for an HP printer, and energy consumption works out to ~220Wh/km WLTP / ~420Wh/mi EPA, and for this, you're supposed to pay $150-250k, depending on what options you pick (and even the most basic things are pricey options [twitter.com] - even the ability to charge at 150

          • I was actually about to comment that while I think this thing looks nice, it has too many seats and doors.

            Call me up when they make a true sports car version with 2 seats and 2 doors. Hell,that should cut some weight off the thing.

            I"m quite surprised Porsche didn't offer a 2 seater version to start with.

        • If I want to pay for poseur status, oh wait, it's an utterly idiotic thing to do and only marks you as a gullible victim of marketing, yeah sure, you genitals are better than everyone else's when you but this car.
          I love how some assholes are either jealous that someone has more than them. Or think they can dictate or ridicule how others spend their money. Seriously, fuck off.
      • I can get enough performance to really get in trouble with an Atom for around 45 grand, not like I need to be looking at a six digit sportscar.

        You're doing it wrong. You can get the same amount of LOLs from (eg.) an Abarth 500 but without the risk of death and people thinking you're an idiot.

        • That's the first time I've seen someone comparing an Ariel Atom with an Abarth and saying they're the same experience.
          Abarth is a fun FWD road car. Ariel is an extreme car , making it unsuitable for the road.
          Even for FWD my preferences would go to other cars. Previous gen Megane RS or Suzuki Swift Sport maybe.

          • OP said: "something that looks like a Yugo but will blow the doors off everything else on the road in acceleration and cornering".

            Seems to me like it was for use "on the road".

            Even for FWD my preferences would go to other cars. Previous gen Megane RS or Suzuki Swift Sport maybe.

            At least we both agree that a "six digit sportscar" isn't needed to have fun (in fact you'll probably have less fun on normal roads).

          • by cusco ( 717999 )

            The VW Sirocco was the most pleasant car to drive that I've ever owned and far faster than I have the competency to drive. It's the only car that I've ever been able to drive for 4-5 hours and not been uncomfortable, and at the same time it could beat any of the jacked up rice burners from a stop and out-corner any muscle car. I miss that car, shame that VW doesn't have a replacement.

    • It looks good to me to be honest.

      Also it is electric so it's a green car with a small environmental and carbon footprint, and I'll probably get a lot of benefits with it. Provided I make enough money to buy one. Funny how only the wealthy can pay for environmentally friendly stuff. I wonder if there is a flaw in my reasoning.

    • "If I'm paying those prices I want something that looks a bit more exotic than a mid-grade Acura."

      But it's almost as fast as a Tesla and only double or triple the price, depending on the model.

      • by dgatwood ( 11270 )

        That's true for the base model of Taycan. The top-speed model is slightly faster than a Tesla, for an even higher multiple of the price.

        • by dgatwood ( 11270 )

          Whoops. Looks like you (the GP) were right. My search for the Tesla's maximum speed yesterday yielded old results. My bad. So it's slower than a Tesla for 2–3x the price, with an order of magnitude fewer DC fast chargers. Now I really don't have any idea why anybody would buy this.

    • Fuck looks; this is way more serious than that... and in any case, if the Audi is a joke compared to the Tesla, the Porsche isn't going to be fundamentally any better. VAG (it clearly needs to be pronounced "vaj") stopped manufacturing automobiles actually worth buying since the early 00's.

      Long live the motherfucking Type44 Quattro!

      • Okay, we can talk "looks" - the Model 3 looks like a fucking gecko (it'd still be my second choice in a new sedan after the Model S). German cars generally have the least objectionable styling these days; Nissans, Toyotas, Hondas and Subarus have turned ugly as fuck and American sedans - other than Teslas - don't even fucking count as cars.

        Interestingly enough, the most revolutionary IC-powered sedan of all time can also be argued to be the best looking [pinimg.com] sedan of all time - designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro,

  • First impressions (Score:4, Informative)

    by Smidge204 ( 605297 ) on Wednesday September 04, 2019 @06:45PM (#59159616) Journal

    Here's some info and a bunch of shakedowns;

    https://fullycharged.show/blog... [fullycharged.show]

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]

    It's somewhat puzzling that nobody seems to be even trying to beat Tesla in terms of performance. You'd think Porche would want to leverage their reputation but apparently they either don't care to really try or just lack the technical chops to do it.
    =Smidge=

    • What are you talking about? 0-60 in 2.6 seconds without the limp-mode overheating of a Tesla if going at high-speed for a distance.

      • The premium model Tycan does 0-60 in 2.6 seconds. 600 HP.

        The Tesla Model X - their SUV - does 0-60 in 2.7 with only 518 HP.

        The Model S was doing 0-60 in 2.6 back in 2015. Their latest models advertise 2.4. 776 HP.

        *Maybe* the Tycan has a better cooling system? We don't really have much hard specs on it yet. The 800V battery helps, and reducing the power to 600HP does too. I guess the cooling system might be where the extra $20K+ is 'cause it sure isn't in the drivetrain!
        =Smidge=

        • Ever been in a Porsche before? My buddy has a Cayenne and its one of the nicest interiors I've ever seen. Good fit and finish and nothing feels cheap or is made of flimsy plastic.

        • According to Porsche it has about 715HP, not 600. A little bit over half a megawatt of power.

        • I assume you just drive around in Ludicrous mode all the time? Or do you ask the Porsche driver to kindly wait for a few minutes whilst your battery pack heats up?
          • by Rei ( 128717 )

            You've been corrected on this many times, yet you keep asserting this falsehood.

            Ludicrous mode is always available. No preheating. There exists a "Ludicrous+ mode", which will preheat the pack assuming it's not already hot, but that only cuts about two tenths of a second or so off your 0-60.

            But I'm sure you'll keep asserting this falsehood every chance you get.

            • You are wrong [teslarati.com]. The battery needs to be a certain temperature range, and it takes time to reach that.
              • by Rei ( 128717 )

                You literally just linked to an article talking about Ludicrous Plus mode. Not plain Ludicrous Mode.

                Are you constitutionally incapable of learning the difference between the two?

                I'll repeat: Ludicrous Mode is always available Ludicrous+ Mode (repeat: note the plus) has to be enabled, and if your pack is not already hot, it will heat the pack up to a higher temperature to get you another ~0,2 seconds or so in your 0-60/0-100.

        • The Tesla Model X - their SUV - does 0-60 in 2.7 with only 518 HP.

          And might be able to do it twice in a row before going into limp mode.

          • by Rei ( 128717 )

            And might be able to do it twice in a row before going into limp mode.

            Are you writing this post from a year ago? You do realize that S and X now run on the Raven powertrain, which does not "limp" when in track duty, don't you?

            • And might be able to do it twice in a row before going into limp mode.

              Are you writing this post from a year ago? You do realize that S and X now run on the Raven powertrain, which does not "limp" when in track duty, don't you?

              I will admit they are getting better. Still would not be on my list if I was shopping for a trackable car though.

              https://www.roadandtrack.com/n... [roadandtrack.com]

              • by Rei ( 128717 )

                Did you read the article that you linked? It states that the level of power reduction after heavy track duty is mild and on par with that of typical ICE track vehicles.

                And FYI, the exact same thing happens with the Taycan. See here for example [youtube.com] - it loses 0,8s on its 0-200 times after repeated launches. Or here [motor1.com] where it loses 0,7s (~7:21).

        • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

          The difference is that the Taycan can sustain that power. They set a Nurburgring record with it and also an endurance record. They set the charging up so that it can sustain very high charge rates for longer, which really helps with distance records.

          Teslas go fast in a straight line. The Taycan is more nuanced - it's ridiculously fast 0-60 but also handles well on the track and has charging designed for endurance records. Built for German autobhans and long distance, high speed driving.

          Of course for most of

      • by Rei ( 128717 )

        "Limp mode" hasn't existed since the Raven upgrade.

    • Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)

      by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Wednesday September 04, 2019 @08:45PM (#59159928)
      Comment removed based on user account deletion
      • The traditional auto manufacturers don't care about making good electric vehicles because they don't even WANT to make electric vehicles. Therefore they put the least level of effort into it. They existed for 100 years to make cars that burn gasoline. They make electric cars only to comply with rules in effect in places like California. They often lose money on these cars. This might make one wonder why they don't put some real engineering in these and try to make money on them. My guess? Because the

      • just lack the technical chops to do it.

        Bullseye. Engineering a high performance electric vehicle requires expert knowledge of electric motors, high power batteries, and high voltage, high amperage motor controllers. Traditional auto makers have expertise in none of those things. That leaves them with crossover knowledge of how to build frames, suspension and steering which have only tangential effect on electric vehicle performance. Most automakers have simply outsourced their EV powertrain design to third party contractors who are adapting industrial motors and off-the-shelf batteries. That kind of approach puts these automakers a decade or more behind Tesla, and none of them have the sense to swallow their pride and pay Tesla to license the good stuff. In short, they do not have the experience they need to compete, and worse, they don't even know where to look to get the expertise they need.

        I like to think that Porsche will be a cut above the others, but so far they have not really done much better than the rest of the also-ran EV makers.

        When you see one of these other auto makers hiring Tesla engineers, you can expect good things from them about 5 years after that. Until then, expect more second rate stuff.

        You may not have noticed, but Formula One cars have been hybrids since 2014, and Mercedes Benz in particular has been quite dominant in that sport in recent years.

        Rest assured there are plenty of companies out there who know more than a little about ultra high performance electrified powertrains.

        • Comment removed based on user account deletion
          • https://www.racefans.net/2019/... [racefans.net]

            And then there is Formula E, where much of the tech learned from F1 is moving into fully electric race cars.

            https://www.williamsf1.com/adv... [williamsf1.com]

            This is leading edge stuff. Tesla is not even a player.

            https://www.popsci.com/mercede... [popsci.com]

            • Comment removed based on user account deletion
              • The Formula 1 guys int eh race fans article implemented a flywheel system, not battery based. For the low amount of total energy they need to store, flywheel based KERS makes sense

                Yes. In 2009. Before they did pioneering work in battery technology.

                Everyone wants to take credit for Tesla technology, but the reality is that Tesla tech is not particularly good for the track, its not engineered for it, its engineered for daily driving.

                My pointing that out elsewhere in this thread is certainly not appreciated.

                Just like I said, their battery solution survives for one race only and then has to be thrown out because it is burned out.

                Actually they are allowed 2 per season. They are going to allow a third for the longer season next year, same as for engines.

                https://www.motorsport.com/f1/... [motorsport.com]

                If you want good EVs stop looking to mechanical engineers to do it, they're woefully underqualified for the task. You need Electrical Engineers and Chemical Engineers, and only one company actual employs any of those kinds of people...

                Yeah. If only MB and Porsche could afford more specialized engineers LOL.

                • Comment removed based on user account deletion
                  • I'm guessing you don't think any of the tech in your daily life descended from military or space programs either.

                    They don't have the right kind of engineers to build household appliances. :-)

    • That depends on what you mean by performance. The Tesla Model S that I drove felt like a typical american boat. Yeah, it was fast off the mark in a straight line, but when it came to cornering it has nothing on any decent sports car.

      The real trick here is if Porche has been optimising for drivability around corners and not just straight line freeway use.

    • What I would like to see is the Taycan post a good lap time around the Nurburgring. The performance of the Tesla has been faulted because it can only go all out for a number of seconds at a time. Tesla has not even posted a Nurburgring time.

      Sure for myself I don't need to race the Nurburgring and nor do I need to spend $170K on any car. But, that's how a Porsche should stand out.

      • Re:First impressions (Score:4, Interesting)

        by timeOday ( 582209 ) on Wednesday September 04, 2019 @11:02PM (#59160292)
        OK, it's been done [caranddriver.com], 7:42, which is a record for a production EV.

        To put that into perspective though it's just edging out a Honda Civic Type R.

      • I have seen it discussed before, and in itself its not that big of a issue.
        There is basically 2 roadblocks:
        1. EVs do not need gears for normal driving because the magnetic field do not lose effective power, unlike ICE.(for normal driving)
        The problem is that past 100km/h you do lose effective power, meaning the car starts guzzling electricity. So you could add gears to the car if you want to race with a EV, but at the same time the gears need to survive +500HP, which could be cumbersome. Maybe 3 gears, for

    • It's somewhat puzzling that nobody seems to be even trying to beat Tesla in terms of performance.

      What do you call performance? Tesla are well known for range, but they do not have the fastest electric cars on the market. There are plenty of minor supercar manufacturers that are annihilating them, e.g. Rimac has a nice lead over Tesla in the 0-60 and in the top speed ranks. By all accounts one thing Porche was trying to do was design a car that can run from start to battery drain at full throttle which Tesla can't due to their heat load.

      What Tesla is untouched at is the whole package. A fast car with gr

      • > Rimac has a nice lead over Tesla in the 0-60 and in the top speed ranks.

        I take issue with cars like the Rimac being considered a "Production car." It's a $1M hypercar with limited production numbers (under 1000). I know the industry has its own definition for what constitutes "production" but IMHO it really should be more restrictive. Cars like this just don't belong in the same bin as those produced in the tens or hundreds of thousands at a tenth of the price.
        =Smidge=

    • Eh? The Taycan did de Nurburgring in 7:42. That makes it a real sportscar - apart from its weight then.
        A sportscar should be able to deliver decent cornering and sustained performance - so no power throttling because of cooling problems.

      Ok, so strictly speaking Lotus top spec exige is not a sportscar :)

  • The Taycan feels like a car that can inspire people to switch to electric propulsion in a way that only Tesla has really achieved so far.

    Not when it's priced at $150,900

    • The Taycan feels like a car that can inspire people to switch to electric propulsion in a way that only Tesla has really achieved so far.

      Not when it's priced at $150,900

      I should also point out that the $150,900 starting price for the Turbo trim is only for those who put in their reservation and doesn't include the $1,350 for destination. The price for the Turbo trim goes up to $153,310 (not including destination) on its launch date.

      Meanwhile, the Turbo S trim is $185,000 (not including destination) with reservation, and goes up to $187,610 on launch date.

  • Ugh. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by CaptainLugnuts ( 2594663 ) on Wednesday September 04, 2019 @07:13PM (#59159692)

    Someone needs to be shot over calling an electric car model "Turbo"

    • by teg ( 97890 )

      Someone needs to be shot over calling an electric car model "Turbo"

      "Turbo" has been used for purposes other the literal meaning of the word [wikipedia.org] for decades. Some examples for older gentlemen and mature ladies:

      • When you put 'Turbo' in the name of a programming language or software it is pretty obvious it is not meant literally. When you have the word 'Turbo' on a car however I think it is reasonable to assume that it has an engine with a turbocharger attached. It's all about context.

        In this case it is an ugly absurdity, and I think Porsche will eventually realize it and stop using the term. They are seriously overestimating the marketing value of the word, and I think anyone who can afford a car like this will be

    • The bastardization of technical terms in general should result in people being shot. "Ethernet" and "Broadband" are two that really drive me nuts.

  • by NewtonsLaw ( 409638 ) on Wednesday September 04, 2019 @07:16PM (#59159700)

    Seriously... they used the word "turbo"?

    How the hell does "turbo" (as an abreviation of "turbocharger") fit into the EV world?

    And... it's not as fast as a Tesla, nor does it have as much range... so what's the attraction again?

    I wonder whether buying an early-model EV supercar is a wise investment move. Early model ICE supercars often gain in value because they can continue to work for decades after they're bought with little or no maintenance. The same is unlikely to be true in the case of EV supercars. Batteries degrade over time and I'm pretty sure that in another 10 year's time, 18650 Li-Ion cells will no longer be the choice of chemistry or form-factor for the energy storage component.

    Maybe they will gain in value -- or maybe you won't be able to give them away after 20 years because the pace of innovation and development will be so great now that EVs have proven to be practical and desirable.

    • by Mal-2 ( 675116 )

      Same way the Turbo button worked on your first PC back in the day. The term "turbo" has long been used not only to describe the process, but the result of forced induction -- more power.

      • Nah. All that electricity has to go somewhere. So why not make use of that waste energy as it leaves the car? Turbo charge the motors. Great technology!

        (I think I might make a good technical journalist. I know how to put the words together.)

    • by AHuxley ( 892839 )
      Re "turbo" (as an abreviation of "turbocharger") fit into the EV world?"
      That special pump design to move the cooling juice around the hot electrical parts?
    • How the hell does "turbo" (as an abreviation of "turbocharger") fit into the EV world?
      It implies it is faster or accelerates faster than a "non turbo" ... most customers are that dumb ... so why do you ask?

      I had chosen a different word, though. What about "hyper"?

      • I am no marketing expert but it seems like an error to assume the customer of your 150,000 USD car is a retard who will not think your vehicle is fast if you don't have Turbo in the name. People don't generally like being treated as if they are that stupid.

        Porsche will realize their mistake eventually, but yes the marketing guy who came up with the idea should be fired and possibly humanely executed to prevent him from ever working in his field again.

    • by _merlin ( 160982 )

      And... it's not as fast as a Tesla, nor does it have as much range... so what's the attraction again?

      It can do a hot lap of the Nuerburgring [wikipedia.org]. Trying that in a Tesla Model S results in the battery overheating.

    • How the hell does "turbo" (as an abreviation of "turbocharger") fit into the EV world?

      Turbo means turbocharger? I thought it was just a button on my DX4-100 that removed the CPU clock speed throttle.

  • What is a Taycan? It makes me think of a garbage can containing a Muppet version of Tay the racist chatbot.

    • by vux984 ( 928602 )

      The name "Taycan," Porsche says, translates to "lively young horse.".

      It's also pronounced "tie".

      • by Mal-2 ( 675116 )

        It's also pronounced "tie".

        That has about as much chance of sticking in North America as the correct pronunciation of Porsche.

  • Does it have 8 cameras that watch your car when you park it and walk away? No?
    Can I summon it from my phone? No?
    Does it have autopilot? No?
    Is it faster than Tesla Model S? No?
    Does it have a navigation system as good as Tesla's? No? ...
    Does it cost more than a Tesla Model S? Yes!

    Porsche Taycan is for Prosche enthusiasts. For everyone else, Tesla is better in just about every way.

    • by AHuxley ( 892839 )
      Removing the "autopilot" can free up a lot of complexity.
      Put the savings back into raw real power for the driver/owner to enjoy.
      Re "navigation system"?
      Use GPS? A map?
      Generations of smart people who could afford a new car has the skills to read a map before "autopilot".
    • Re:It is no Tesla (Score:4, Insightful)

      by vux984 ( 928602 ) on Wednesday September 04, 2019 @09:15PM (#59160018)

      "Does it have 8 cameras that watch your car when you park it and walk away? No?"

      Great. I don't need another surveillance device in my life.

      "Can I summon it from my phone? No?"

      The restrictions on that feature are so limited as to render it a gimmick useful for impressing your friends ... once.

      "Does it have autopilot? No?"

      People who buy Porsche's aren't looking to not drive them.

      Also, since Tesla's autopilot requires the driver sit there with his hands on the wheel and his eyes on the road, and if his attention wavers even slightly and something bad happens its still the drivers fault, then WTF do I want "autopilot" for?

      "Is it faster than Tesla Model S? No?"

      The Taycan has completed record breaking runs at the Nurbergring. Tesla S can't finish one lap before going into limp mode. What good is 0.2 seconds faster to 60mph if you can't finish the race?

      "Does it cost more than a Tesla Model S? Yes!"

      Only the so called "turbo" and "turbo s" have been announced; less expensive versions are coming.

      It's nicer to look at. It's nicer inside. That's subjective of course, to each their own. I do like the model S for looks, but can't stand the other teslas, and the interior of the model three has a much character as an empty bench.

      The Taycan is also from a massive company with a racing pedigree that isn't playing chicken with short-sellers and the SEC...

      Oh... and it feels like a sports car. An actual honest to god sports car. Sure the tesla s is quick. But well... this pretty much sums it up: "Yes, it was heavy. Yes, it had almost no mechanical grip. And yes, the steering was as numb as my jaw after a trip to the dentist."

      And this was from a guy who really **liked** it.

      https://jalopnik.com/heres-wha... [jalopnik.com]

      Porsche Taycan is for DRIVERS.

      • Drivers don't buy 2200 kg cars :)

      • In regards to Autopilot, and Porsche owners not wanting it.

        I drove a Porsche for a number of years and while it was a lot of fun to drive there were certainly times that I would have loved to hand the driving off to an automated system. Just because you drive a sports car as a daily driver doesn't mean you're getting a thrill out of driving it every trip. In fact it is far better if you save exciting driving behavior for a track day, and just go with the flow of traffic when on public roads. I periodically

        • by vux984 ( 928602 )

          I hear you and I do agree. There's nothing particularly fun about a sports car manual transmission in rush hour in a hilly city. I know from experience.

          " there were certainly times that I would have loved to hand the driving off to an automated system."

          Sure. If one like that actually existed then it might be worthwhile.

          The Tesla autopilot doesn't let you hand off driving.

          When its at the point that I can read a book or watch a movie while it eats up the miles on a trip; and it'll chime an me an alert a few m

    • Parking cameras? It's a Porsche, the valet parks it.

      Porsche is all about drivability. Tesla is all about 'living room on wheels'.

      Buying a Porsche is buying a driving experience. Traditionally they hug the road extremely well, have virtually no throttle lag. Steering feels super connected to the bitumen you're driving on. And high speed cornering is a dream.

      I haven't driven this new electric model, but if it lives up to the expectations as a "driver's" car like their other models, then I don't even seen Tesl

    • Autopilot or equivalent is available on most modern cars. Tesla is by no means the first nor the best in semi-autonomous driving.

    • Does it have 8 cameras that watch your car when you park it and walk away? No?
      Can I summon it from my phone? No?
      Does it have autopilot? No?
      Is it faster than Tesla Model S? No?
      Does it have a navigation system as good as Tesla's? No? ...
      Does it cost more than a Tesla Model S? Yes!

      Porsche Taycan is for Prosche enthusiasts. For everyone else, Tesla is better in just about every way.

      People who drive Porsches enjoy driving. Autopilot is anathema to any enthusiast. Indeed, if you don't like driving but just want electronic toys, you should buy a Tesla.

  • by mykepredko ( 40154 ) on Wednesday September 04, 2019 @09:12PM (#59159994) Homepage

    When I look at the pictures of the interior, I'm reminded of the discussions regarding Tesla's use of a big central screen.

    The Taycan's controls look more functional and reasonable to access - I know it has three screens instead of the Tesla's one, but it's a much better looking driver's compartment.

    • When I look at the pictures of the interior, I'm reminded of the discussions regarding Tesla's use of a big central screen.

      The Taycan's controls look more functional and reasonable to access - I know it has three screens instead of the Tesla's one, but it's a much better looking driver's compartment.

      This is my gripe with the Model 3. The screen on a stalk bullshit is just terrible. It looks terrible cosmetically and it looks terrible ergonomically. Cutting costs is one thing, but adopting one of the goofier design aesthetics from the Jetsons is another.

  • by AlanObject ( 3603453 ) on Wednesday September 04, 2019 @11:22PM (#59160332)

    Q: What's the difference between a Porsche and a porcupine?

    A: A porcupine has its pricks on the outside.

  • Can this compete with an Aptera in terms of drag? I think not. This vehicle will be wasting a huge amount of energy just pushing air, especially at the high speeds it would be driven at. It's 911-ish body is probably horrible in terms of drag. The 911 is a body design that loos like it should be aerodynamic but isn't. If I am going to drive an electric car (I am not because they are for rich people) then I'd much rather have something that looks (and sounds) futuristic. But I bet this thing is more fun to d

    • by Cederic ( 9623 )

      Can the Aptera compete with the Porsche in terms of acceleration, top speed, cornering, range, safety, comfort and not looking like an utter fucking cock? I think not.

      I guess Porsche totally fucked up. If only they knew how to build high performance motor vehicles.

  • Its electric but it has a turbocharger?

    Why?

  • The pictures at the end of the article show a "Taycan Turbo S" nameplate across the back. Turbo? How the hell does an EV get "Turbo" attached to it?
  • by Tom ( 822 )

    nor does it have as much range.

    450 km to be exact.

    Sorry, but I sometimes actually drive that much in a day, and I have quite a few times driven more. My current car has a thousand km range when full. When electrical cars can offer 600+ we can start talking, or when charging is on the order of minutes. The fastest chargers at the moment add about 400 km for 15 min. of charging. That's not enough. Twice that is what's needed to turn the market.

    • by cusco ( 717999 )

      Easily 95% of my driving is under 150 kilometers in a day, and almost all the rest is under 300 kilometers. If I wanted to drive 1000 kilometers I'd rent something more pleasant to drive than my truckette. Americans average under 50 kilometers/day driving, they could drive for nine days without recharging. The whole 'charging anxiety' is marketing from Detroit. Sure, there are exceptions like yourself, but they're *exceptions*.

      • by Tom ( 822 )

        You misunderstood.

        My typical daily drive is about 50km.

        But there are enough days in a year where I drive 200km plus one way and without guarantee that there's a charging station at the other end that it would be problematic. And there is a few occasions a year where I drive 500+ km in one go, where I would have to make a long stop for recharging.

        The longest distance I've ever driven was 1400 km in one night (most of it through Germany, so I drove around 200 km/h for several hours). It was a very long night.

  • (Disclaimer: I recently purchased a model 3 in March, and even performance aside the experience has been incredible. I highly recommend a test drive to anybody.)

    disclaimers aside, it's strange to me that we keep lumping all these EVs together. The Porsche Taycan is clearly aimed at doing something that the Model S / 3 is not: being an actual racing car, with the price tag to match. The Model S / 3 are simply family cars that let your casual driver get a racecar feel in their everyday life. Ultimately, thoug

  • This isn't Porche's first electric car, that would have been the P1, the first car built by Ferdinand Porche. Interestingly the body was very easy to switch from a summer convertible to summer enclosed type.

    https://www.thevintagenews.com... [thevintagenews.com]

    One year after the creation of the car, Ferdinand Porsche took the vehicle to the Berlin Road Race, on September 28th, 1989. Ferdinand won the race and managed to achieve a shocking result: the P1 reached the finish line 18 minutes before the second-ranked car.

Algebraic symbols are used when you do not know what you are talking about. -- Philippe Schnoebelen

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