[See image gallery at www.autoguide.com] Base-model Porsche Taycan is rear-wheel drive, making it lighter and extending its range.
Porsche is extending the Taycan family into a quartet. After releasing a less-expensive, rear-drive model in China, the German brand is bringing it to other markets, including North America.
Simply called Taycan, the new model comes with one of two battery packs, just as the current Taycan 4S. Standard is a 79.2-kWh pack, while a Performance Battery Plus option offers 93.4 kWh. With just the single motor out back, the Taycan is rated at 322 horsepower and 254 lb-ft of torque with the smaller battery, and 375 hp with 263 lb-ft of torque with the PBP. Spec the optional Sport Chrono pack, and horsepower bumps up to 402 and 469, respectively, during launch control.
The added bonus of stripping out the front motor is that the Taycan’s curb weight is reduced some 200-odd pounds, now sitting at 4,566 (2,071 kg). Spec the larger battery and you add 176 pounds (80 kg) back in. Regardless of battery pack, Porsche quotes the same 0–60 mph (0–96 km/h) time of 5.1 seconds, and a 143 mph top speed.
SEE ALSO: 2020 Porsche Taycan Turbo Review: Truly Electrifying
Charging maxes out at 225 kW for the 79.2-kWh pack, and 270 kW for the 93.4-kW setup. Due to the different sizes, both take the same 22.5 minutes to charge from 5 to 80 percent when hooked up to a DC fast charger.
Much of the rest of the Taycan package remains the same as the other models. 19-inch blade-style wheels are standard, with 20- and 21-inch wheels available. The wheels are painted silver instead of the polished items on the 4S, while the calipers are black instead of red. The latter clamp the same brake discs as the 4S—Porsche’s surface-coated and ceramic-coated units are available.
The interior is the same as the rest of the family. The options list is suitably vast, including things like InnoDrive, a 19.2-kw on-board charger, head-up display, massage seats, and more.
The 2021 Porsche Taycan will begin arriving in US dealerships early spring, starting at $81,250, or $87,030 with the Performance Battery Plus. It will be eligible for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, bringing it closer than ever to the price of a Tesla Model S, which isn’t. We’ve reached out to Porsche Canada for market-specific details.
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