By the Numbers: Electric Taycan vs Gas Panamera Comparison

Sibling Love

Siblings are interesting. They can be totally different, yet also the same in many ways.  The recent unveiling of the production-ready, all-electric, 2020 Porsche Taycan Turbo and Turbo S has people itching to get behind the wheel and take it up against the electric front-runner, Tesla.  But how does Porsche's new electric vehicle fair up against it's older, internal combustion, Panamera sib?  

All-electric

Tesla can no longer lay claim as the only lux-electric automaker on the block.  The Taycan Turbo and  Turbo S (trim designations, no turbocharging involved) use a two-motor setup, one on the front axle and one at the rear.  The "low-level" Turbo model is capable of producing up to 500 kW (670 hp) and 626 lb-ft of torque.  The higher trim Turbo S model is good for 560 kW (750 hp) and 774 lb-ft of torque. 

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Good old Dino Power

As exciting as Taycan's numbers are, it's missing the beloved turbo whistle, engine grunt, and exhaust pop to accent its speed capabilities.  It's hard to imagine our traditional sensory responses to these sounds being replaced by the electric car revolution.  Until then, soak in all the fossil-fueled joys you can.  On that note, Porsche's Panamera embraces all of its gas-guzzling glory.  The current generation's engine choices range from a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 to a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 (with electric motor).  On the low end of the trim spectrum, the V6 is rated at 330 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque.  At the other end, the V8 with electric boost is good for 626 hp and 677 lb-ft of torque.  Somewhere in the middle are a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 and 4.0-liter V8 (no electric boost) throwing down 440 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque or 550 hp and 567 lb-ft of torque, respectively. 

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Taycan 0-60

Power for the 2020 Taycan gets routed through a two-speed transmission.  The electric powertrain moves the top-trim 5,121-pound Turbo S from 0-60 in 2.6 seconds.  Top speed for both trim levels is 162 mph (260 km/h). 

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Panamera 0-60

Back over to the Panamera, the fossil burner uses an eight-geared dual-clutch PDK automatic to send power to the pavement.  To keep it somewhat apples to apples, the highest trim Panamera weights in at 5,313 pounds and moves from 0-60 in about 3.3 seconds.

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Battery Efficiency

Battery capacity, charge time, and range are no doubt major factors to consider in an electric-only situation.  For the 2020 Taycan Turbo and Turbo S, Porsche says the 396 cell battery pack has a total capacity of 93.4 kWh.  Taycan uses a production-first 800-volt system, which takes roughly 22.5 minutes to charge up to 80 percent capacity.  With this in mind, the Turbo S and Turbo can go up to 412 kilometers and 450 kilometers, respectively (according to WLTP). 

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Gas Efficiency

Despite the far-quicker charge times, Taycan is capable of, the overall range is limited by the number of charging stations available.  Many will be wary of the current electric landscape.  Luckily, the Panamera can be filled up at just about any regular old run-of-the-mill gas station.  The 3.0-liter V6, with its 23.7-gallon tank, gets an EPA estimated 19 city and 27 highway MPG.  On top-tier models, the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with an electric motor has a 21.1-gallon tank.  Motor Trend noted the 2018-model-year Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Executive with this motor was rated 21 mpg combined city/highway when just using the engine, and 49 mpg-e combined city/highway using the hybrid system (current mpg figures not available). 

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Taycan Pricing

Last stop on the number train will be the pricing.  Starting MSRP for the Taycan Turbo will be $150,900; MSRP for the Turbo S will be $185,000.  Prices for the Turbo S can reach as high as $241,500 with all the available bells and whistles tacked on. 

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Panamera Pricing

Looking at Panamera pricing, buyers will pay almost half the cost for a base model compared to the base Taycan Turbo.  Starting MSRP for the base Panamera begins at $86,300.  Prices can reach as high as $196,600 for the top-tier Turbo S E-Hybrid Executive AWD.  This shouldn't be too surprising, but it is a wonder to know when consumers won't have to pay a premium for a more sustainable vehicle.  

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Bottomline

Tesla was mankind's small-step into mass-produced, all-electric cars.  Taycan and beyond will be the big leap for mankind into an electric future.  Taycan is more powerful, faster, and more expensive than its Panamera sister.  The luxury market may fancy the tech and exclusivity of Taycan, but until batteries and charging infrastructure proliferate, there will be minor limitations buyers will be forced to deal with.  It may not be a problem for some, but those factors could hinder sales in the short-run given Taycan's hefty price tag.  Panamera probably has enough power, enough speed, and enough features for most, but if you value environmental impact, start saving.  Taycan goes on sale soon. 

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