Porsche's First Electric Car 'Taycan'... First Performance Reveal on Circuit

Porsche vehicles imported from Germany for the '2020 Porsche World Roadshow' event are parked at Yongin Speedway.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] Porsche unveiled the performance of its first electric vehicle, the 'Taycan,' in South Korea. The test drive was conducted on a circuit, showcasing that despite being an electric car, it fully embodies Porsche's unique 'sports car DNA.' The Taycan is expected to be officially launched in South Korea as early as November this year.

On the 2nd, Porsche held the '2020 Porsche World Roadshow,' a global track event organized by its headquarters in Germany, at Yongin Speedway. The Porsche World Roadshow, which runs until the 10th, is a professional driving event designed to understand Porsche's philosophy and experience the brand. It is a large-scale program with over 47,000 participants from 55 countries worldwide. A total of 26 vehicles, including the 911, 718 Boxster and Cayman, Panamera, Cayenne, and Macan, were brought in from Germany for this event.

The day's program included a 'Handling Session' where participants drove 2-door and 4-door sports cars on the track, a 'Slalom & Braking Session' where drivers navigated obstacles smoothly on a set course while experiencing explosive acceleration and stable braking simultaneously, and a 'Taycan Session.'

'Taycan' driving scene

The star of the event was undoubtedly the brand's first electric vehicle, the Taycan. Porsche brought in six Taycans and held a separate test drive event, showing confidence in the product's sportiness and performance.

Porsche repeatedly emphasized that the Taycan is a 'sports car,' seemingly with Tesla in mind. Holger Geyermann, CEO of Porsche Korea, stressed, "The Taycan is 100% electric, 100% sports car, 100% Porsche," and added, "We hope you experience firsthand that the Taycan is a sports car despite being an electric vehicle."

During the following session, riding the Taycan on the track, one could fully feel that it is a 'Porsche sports car.' The top-tier model, the Taycan Turbo S, reaches 100 km/h from a standstill in just 2.8 seconds with launch control and power output up to 560 kW. The Taycan Turbo, capable of a maximum output of 500 kW, achieves 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds. According to the European WLTP standard, the Taycan Turbo has a maximum driving range of 450 km, and the Turbo S has 412 km. Using a dedicated fast charger, 80% charge can be achieved in just 10 minutes. Both models have a top speed of 260 km/h.

What was impressive was that the driving feel was no different from that of an internal combustion engine sports car. There was no sense of alienation typical of electric vehicles. The difference was that instead of engine exhaust sounds, it produced a sound reminiscent of a spaceship taking off. Particularly impressive was the enhanced stability due to the 700-800 kg battery being placed under the vehicle.

The Taycan 4S, which will be released first at the end of this year, is priced at 145.6 million KRW. The Taycan Turbo, scheduled for release in the first half of next year, is priced at 195.5 million KRW, and the Taycan Turbo S is priced at 233.6 million KRW.

A Porsche Korea official stated, "We are currently undergoing the Ministry of Environment certification process aiming for a November launch this year," adding, "Depending on the progress of the certification, purchase subsidy benefits will also be determined."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.