In this brave new world of auto electrification, one of the most highly anticipated 2020 cars is the Porsche Taycan. “Highly anticipated” is an understatement. Porsche just announced that 30,000 pre-orders (at $4,000 each) have already been received for the as-yet-unseen all-electric Porsche. That’s some serious demand!

What’s more, as Bloomberg reports, the Taycan is set to outsell the stalwart 911, which Porsche has placed a limit of 35,000 units per year.

Taycan Production

Initially, Taycan production was set at 20,000 cars. Porsche saw the need to increase that number twice as deposits flooded in. Now it has been confirmed that production will increase to 40,000 units when sales begin at the end of this summer. This, according to Andreas Haffner, Porsche’s HR director. Porsche’s crystal ball just doesn’t seem to miss on any of its product predictions.

Recently, Porsche hinted that if production exceeds 40,000 they would consider opening a second manufacturing plant, presumably their Leipzig factory. Current Taycan production is limited to Porsche’s Zuffenhausen facility in southern Germany. so they may actually be expecting production to increase past the current 40,000.

Aimed squarely at knocking off the Tesla Model S, the Taycan is based on Porsche’s Mission E concept car. It will feature an 800-volt electric system. The range is estimated to be more than 300 miles from its 96.0-kWh batteries. A bigger leap is that it will feature a fast-charge ability to pick up 250 miles of range in only 15 minutes. Zero to 60 mph acceleration is estimated at less than 3.5 seconds from the front- and rear-mounted motors pumping out over 600 hp.

For comparison, the Taycan will debut at 190-inches in length, and 78-inches wide; while Tesla’s Model S comes in at a bit over 195-inches long and slightly longer than 77-inches wide. So the Taycan comes close to matching the Tesla’s dimensions inches-to-inches.

Charging Network

Alliances with ChargePoint, EVgo, and Electrify America plan over 300 fast-chargers at strategic city and highway locations. In addition, Porsche’s 189 US dealers are now installing these fast-chargers, along with six each at their Experience Centers in Atlanta and Los Angeles. Complementary destination chargers with less charging capabilities will also be available at existing locations like hotels, main street centers, and high-density destinations.

Besides the Taycan, a crossover variant called Mission E Cross Turismo will debut in 2020. As everything SUV-like has been a hit for Porsche, this was seen as coming.

Looking to be based on the Panamera wagon, it features Taycan styling cues with increased ground clearance. If it is using Panamera Sport Turismo body components this will help to amortize development expenses for the low-selling wagon. 

These new all-electric Porsches will obviously be quick, handle well, and present that presence only Porsche has been able to maintain for decades.
Porsche is on a roll. The new Taycan and Cross Turismo should not disappoint.