Head of EV Programs Discusses the Taycan
Daily Slideshow: In an interview with Stefan Weckbach, the new EV's placement in the lineup is discussed.
Don't worry
In an interview that was just released, Mr. Weckbach who is the head of the BEV Model Series at Porsche wants everyone to know that this new EV still has a soul. "With the 918 Spyder, we showed what’s possible when a sports car’s V8 naturally aspirated engine is complemented by two electric synchronous motors on the front and rear axles. Now, with the Taycan, we’re taking the next logical step by launching a purely electric vehicle that fulfills our expectations without compromise."
Better than a 911 you say?
"The Taycan drives like a Porsche, looks like a Porsche, and feels like a Porsche; it just happens to have a different type of drive. Even an electric sports car can be puristic and highly emotional. We don’t consider that a contradiction," Weckbach said. "On the contrary, with the optimum drive technology and the right vehicle concept, the Porsche characteristics can be brought even more to the fore. Take the under-floor battery, for example. It gives the Taycan a very low center of gravity, even lower than with the 911. In combination with optimum weight distribution between the axles, this means that the Taycan is a very sporty design, even in its basic concept," he added.
No Compromises
"It was clear from the beginning that an electrically powered Porsche—like every other Porsche model—must be the sportiest vehicle in its segment. Even as an electric car, a Porsche must fulfill the expectations of the market—in its longitudinal and lateral dynamics, for instance. It’ll clearly be a Porsche at first glance because we’ve transferred the design DNA of Porsche to our future electric vehicles. You can be sure that the Taycan will satisfy Porsche standards in every respect—from the selection of materials and individual components to the quality of the overall vehicle."
The big EV hurdle
"One central question in developing the Taycan was: 'Where is the optimum balance between range and performance?' Theoretically, all you would need to do is put a large battery in the car to offer a generous range. But that wouldn’t be a typical Porsche approach, simply on account of the heavy weight involved. Our solutions are in line with the concept of “intelligent performance,” which we’ve also transferred to the Taycan. This means that we can attain an electric range of more than five hundred kilometers while still keeping the weight as low as possible. Two important components are the power density of the electric drive and the high level of efficiency. This means that the E-motors themselves are very lightweight, while the increased efficiency and resulting low power consumption allow us to deploy smaller and lighter batteries. In developing the Taycan, we also worked very intensively on perfecting the aerodynamics and really fought for the thousandth part of every CW measurement. Thanks to this, we were able to push air resistance to the lowest possible value."
A little a year from now
What excites you most about this car, personally?
"We’ve been testing the prototypes for quite a while now and have driven them many, many kilometers. The very first vehicles, in an extremely early phase of development, were already showing the driving characteristics you’d expect of a Porsche. They drove so sportily and reacted so directly that we felt right at home from the beginning. And a lot has happened since then."
When will we officially see the Taycan on the roads?
"Porsche will present it at the end of 2019. And I can reveal this much already: it won’t be just an electric vehicle. It’ll be a Porsche."
Take no prisoners approach
Porsche first and foremost is a brand associated with performance over luxury and this will be interesting to see how the market reacts to the Taycan once it is available in showrooms across the world. Whether it's conquering Tesla owners or converting petrol-loving drivers who might not have entertained a notion of owning an EV, Porsche is not playing games. The Taycan is a vehicle that is not only aimed at beating other zero-emission vehicles but also gas-powered competitors alike.
Click here to read the full interview with Mr. Weckbach.
For help with service and maintenance of your Porsche check out the how to section of Rennlist.com.