Simply Abu Dhabi XXXVI

Porsche claims that in just over five minutes, the battery can be recharged using direct current (DC) from the high-power charging network for a range of up to 100 kilometres. The charging time for five to 80 percent SoC (state of charge) is 22.5 minutes and the maximum charging power is 270kW. The overall capacity of the Performance Battery Plus is 93.4 kWh and owners can charge their cars with up to 11kW of alternating current (AC) at home. Porsche claims a range of 412kms for the Turbo S and 450km for the Turbo while our real-world test in the Turbo S showed a range of around 350km of very hard and fast driving. Germany’s speed limitless autobahns allowed the electric Taycan to uphold Porsche’s performance credentials, cruising at 200+km/h for much of the way with the occasional spurt to 270km/h – 10km/h above its quoted top speed. Its grip and handling on the back roads was phenomenal thanks to its low centre of gravity and having power driving all four wheels. Bodyroll was non-existent and its traction out of corners reset the benchmark for even the brawniest supercar. As for Taycan’s acceleration, especially from 80 to 200km/h, it’s incomparable as it pushes you hard into the seat, while its launch control needs to come with a caution to prepare you as it literally smacks your head into the headrest, rocketing from zero to 100km/h in 2.8 seconds. The Turbo and Turbo S are powered by two electric motors with one mounted inside each axle, effectively making them all-wheel drive. The electric motors, transmission and pulse- controlled inverter are each combined into a compact drive module which are claimed to have the highest power density (kW per litre of package space) of all electric powertrains on the market. Porsche recently conducted a series of tests that involved the car being subjected to 30 Launch Control starts from zero to 200km/h and back to zero before needing a charge. Despite the confusing model names of Turbo and Turbo S, (the Taycan obviously doesn’t have turbochargers but Porsche keeps the names for marketing purposes), it does a better job of representing the future of motoring than any other vehicle I’ve driven to date. How so? The Taycan drives and reacts like a regular car better than the Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla, which are the only EV alternatives in the prestige segment. While it has regenerative braking like the Jaguar, it doesn’t feel like it, meaning that when you lift off the accelerator it coasts without feeling like someone has applied the brakes. Energy is still being recovered but without the car slowing when you lift off the gas. The other big thing is its two-speed transmission which, at 120km/h shifts up and then back down as it passes back through 80km/h.