Porsche’s first-ever electric car, the Porsche Taycan, has been launched at last in India, with prices for the all-electric sportscar starting at Rs 1.52 crore (ex-showroom). Originally set to arrive in 2020, the Taycan’s India launch was greatly delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s now here and will be available in two body styles – Taycan and the station wagon-style Taycan Cross Turismo. The standard Taycan will be offered in all four variants – the base Taycan, 4S, Turbo and Turbo S. Deliveries of the Taycan range will commence in the first quarter of 2022.
The Taycan is based on the Volkswagen Group’s J1 architecture, which it shares with the recently-launched Audi e-tron GT. At the time of its global unveil, the Taycan was the first production car to use an 800-volt electrical system, which enables charging at 350kW and means the Taycan can regain 100 km worth of range in just five minutes. This also spells a rapid-charging time (five percent to 80 percent) of around 20 minutes.
The base Taycan and 4S models have a smaller 79.3 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, while the Turbo and Turbo S pack a 93.4 kWh li-ion battery. The base, rear-wheel-drive Taycan is the only version to have a single motor, and has an output of 408 hp. It can do 0-100 kph in 5.4 seconds, and 0-200 kph in 16.5 seconds. In contrast, the Taycan 4S – which gets two motors and all-wheel-drive – can do 0-100 kph in four seconds, and 0-200 kph in 12.9 seconds.
Two electric motors produce a combined 625 hp and 850 Nm in the Turbo, resulting in a 0-100kph time of 3.2 seconds. In range-topping Turbo S form, the Taycan’s motors make a colossal 761 hp and 1,050 Nm (with the overboost function engaged), which helps it go from 0-100kph in just 2.8 seconds.
On the inside, the Taycan packs as many as four screens – a 16.8-inch digital instrument display, a 10.9-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system and an 8.4-inch screen for climate control functions, with a 10.9-inch screen available for the co-driver as an option.
While the Cross Turismo has plenty in common with the standard Taycan, it carries over quite a few of the 2018 concept’s design and styling cues along with some key additions that will help it tackle rough roads with ease.
In India, the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo will be available in a total of three variants – 4S, Turbo and Turbo S. All variants get the same 93.4kWh Performance plus battery, two-motor setup (one on each axle), all-wheel drive and adaptive air suspension is standard as well.
The 4S has a peak total output of 490 hp (571 hp with launch control), a 0-100kph time of 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 240 kph. Max range stands at 452 kilometres.
Following it is the Turbo variant, which has an output of 625 hp (680 hp with launch control), a 0-100kph time of 3.3 seconds, a top speed limited to 250 kph. Max range is rated at 452 kilometres.
Topping the range is the Turbo S version, with an output of 625 hp (761 hp with launch control), a 0-100kph time of 2.9 seconds, a top speed of 250 kph. Max range for this version is marginally lower, at 419 kilometres.
The adaptive air suspension of the Cross Turismo also brings in a new ‘Gravel mode’, which raises the Cross Turismo and gives it as much as 30mm more ground clearance than the standard Taycan.
Utilising the same 800-volt architecture as the Taycan, the Cross Turismo, too, can be charged at up to 270 kW via a high-power DC fast charger. Charging from 0 to 100 percent using an 11 kW AC charger will take nine hours, while charging via a 50 kW DC fast charger will bring that time down to just a little over an hour and a half.
While it has plenty in common with the Taycan on the inside as well (including its full-width digital dashboard with three screens), the Cross Turismo also packs 47 mm of extra headroom for rear-seat passengers thanks to the higher roof, and luggage room has also risen to 446 litres (1,212 litres with the rear seats folded down). The Taycan Cross Turismo will be available in four- and five-seat forms, and will also get an optional, full-length glass roof that stretches all the way from the windshield to the rear spoiler.
Prices for the higher-spec Taycan and Cross Turismo variants are expected to be well over Rs 2 crore. At this time, the e-tron GT is the Taycan’s only real rival, but Mercedes-Benz is expected to bring in the all-electric EQS sedan sometime early next year, and BMW India may also look at bringing in the i4 electric sedan in the time to come.