2020 Porsche Taycan First Drive: Proudly And Properly Electric

Ferdinand Porsche would be proud.

It’s probably fair to say there were many Porsche enthusiasts out there that were watching the Porsche Taycan development with a wary eye. 

I’m sure nobody questioned if it would be fast and handle well. Tesla has already proven that electric cars can be world-class performers if the manufacturer wants them to be. But would the Taycan feel like a Porsche, or would it be a soundless metal rocket without a soul? In short, could the engineers in Stuttgart build an electric sports car and make it a real Porsche?

I’ll get this over very quickly. Yes, they can, and that’s exactly what they did.

I’ve had the opportunity to drive many Porsches over the years, and I even owned a Boxster S for a number of years. I loved that car. I maintained it meticulously, added a ton of crazy upgrades and modifications, and basically thought I’d keep it forever. Therefore, I know very well what it means to “feel like a Porsche”, something Porsche owners are quick to point out. The Taycan is a Porsche through and through. 

Gallery: Porsche Taycan Euro Trip

Porsche Taycan Turbo

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Porsche Taycan Turbo

About That Name

Porsche gave a lot of thought into choosing a name that they felt best represented what they were hoping to achieve with the Taycan: 

A name that fulfills every phonetic, legal, creative, strategic, and model-specific requirement. Composed of two terms of Turkic origin, this word can be roughly translated as “soul of a spirited young horse.” And that’s exactly what the first fully electric Porsche will be: lively, impetuous, vigorous, light-footed on long stretches without tiring, and free-spirited. The name reflects both the source and the future of the brand: the horse on the Porsche crest, the expression of its soul, on its way into a new era of the sports car.

However, that only covers the Taycan name, why did they use “Turbo”, when there’s no turbocharger? The Porsche representatives I spoke to knew they would catch some slack for this, but they said nomenclature of product lines is consistent, so their customers clearly understand where that particular model fits into the lineup.

By using Turbo and Turbo S after the Taycan name, customers know how to compare those trim levels to other Taycan trims that will be available in the future. While I understand this reasoning, I think they would have been better served if they created a new naming standard for their electric offerings.   

On The Road

Porsche Product Spokesperson Calvin Kim stressed that the Taycan is, first of all, a Porsche, and the fact that it’s electric is secondary. It needed to feel and behave as a Porsche does, and I believe they accomplished that goal. The steering is weighty and direct even when driving at high speeds on the Autobahn. We were able to get our Taycan up to 167 MPH and the car felt incredibly solid and stable.

Porsche states that both the Taycan Turbo, and Taycan Turbo S’s top speed is 161 mph, so when I asked Kim if he thought the speedometer might be off, he just smiled and said he’s pretty confident it’s calibrated correctly. That wouldn’t surprise me because Porsche has offered conservative performance figures for other models in the past. Full road tests often reveal better numbers than the official statistics that Porsche provides.

Gallery: 2020 Porsche Taycan

2020 Porsche Taycan

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2020 Porsche Taycan

However, the top speed and handling weren’t what impressed me the most. What I was most astounded by was the crushing assault of the G forces every time you mash the accelerator to the floor. Besides a Tesla Model S P100D, there’s nothing I’ve ever driven that even feels close to how the Taycan Turbo S accelerates. 

In fact, after driving the Taycan Turbo S about 500 miles from Copenhagen, Denmark to Hamburg, Germany, my Model 3 (long-range dual-motor) now feels as if it accelerates like my dad’s Honda Accord. That’s how brutally powerful the Taycan is, and how it has totally spoiled me.  

Like many Porsches, the Taycan has launch control, which you activate by simultaneously mashing the accelerator and the brake pedal, while the car is set to Sport Plus mode. Even though the Taycan Turbo S pumps out 751 horsepower and 774 pound-feet of torque, the traction control and massive tires (the Turbo S wears 305/30/21s in back and 265/35/21s in front) do a wonderful job of keeping the vehicle under control, as is furiously launches forward.

That translates to a 0-to-60 mph time of 2.6 seconds and a quarter-mile run of 10.8 seconds, according to Porsche. Using a smartphone app that has proven generally reliable, I recorded a 0-60 time of 2.71 seconds. Even more impressive is that zero to thirty was achieved in 1 second flat. However, that was with two people in the car, plus about 100 lbs of additional luggage and camera gear. Also, we did the runs on a deteriorated country road with loose gravel, which isn’t the best surface for proper launches. I have no doubt that if we removed the extra passenger and gear, and were launching an a proper surface, we would shave off at least a tenth of a second, and match Porsche’s claimed time, if not improve upon it.  

The non-S Taycan Turbo is slightly less powerful, with 671 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. That’s good for a 0-60 time of 3 seconds flat, and a quarter-mile run will take 11.1 seconds, only .3 seconds slower than the Turbo S. 

The two-speed transmission installed on the rear axle is an innovation developed by Porsche. First gear gives the Taycan even more acceleration from a standing start, while second gear with a long gear ratio ensures high efficiency and equally high power reserves. This also applies at very high speeds.

I admit, the two-speed transmission took a little getting used to. You can definitely feel the shift, which occurs between 50 and 65 mph, depending on which driving mode you’ve selected. It just doesn’t seem right to me after driving single-speed EVs for over ten years now. Porsche claims the two-speed transmission is critical in optimizing performance and efficiency. I don’t hate it, it just seems a little strange to me. I’m sure I’d get used to it if I drove a Taycan regularly. 

Gallery: Porsche Taycan First Drive

Porsche Taycan First Drive

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Porsche Taycan First Drive






Porsche Taycan First Drive






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Porsche Taycan First Drive






Porsche Taycan First Drive

Driving Modes & Range

The Taycan has four different driving modes: Range, Normal, Sport, and Sport Plus. While in Range mode the emphasis is on efficiency. The shutters on the nose close to reduce drag, and the Taycan’s rear spoiler sets to a position that improves airflow over the Taycan and through the tumblehome. The standard air suspension also lowers the ride height to further improve aerodynamics. Range mode also increases efficiency by allowing the powertrain to intelligently switch between two and four-wheel drive modes, and will decouple the rear axle and use only the more efficient front motor under most conditions. However, if you need more power, the rear motor will join the party and deliver the added punch if the driver is aggressive with the accelerator.