Full scale production of the first purely electric Porsche — called the Taycan — is set to begin next year.
Previously known as “Mission E” the name Taycan can be roughly translated as “lively young horse,” a reference to the heart of the Porsche crest, which has featured a leaping horse since 1952.
“Our new electric sports car is strong and dependable; it’s a vehicle that can consistently cover long distances and that epitomizes freedom,” Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG, Oliver Blume, said.
The Eurasian name also signifies the launch of the first electric sports car with the soul of a Porsche.
Porsche announced the name for its first purely electric model as part of the “70 years of Porsche Sports Cars” ceremony.
Two permanently activated synchronous motors (PSM) generating a system output of more than 447kW catapults the electric sports car to 100km/h in well under 3.5 seconds and to 200 km/h in less than 12 seconds.
The Porsche Taycan will also offer a consistent level of power that is unprecedented among electric vehicles: multiple launches in a row will be possible without a loss in performance, and the vehicle’s maximum range will be more than 480km as measured in accordance with the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC).
At Porsche headquarters in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, a new paint shop, dedicated assembly area, and a conveyor bridge for transporting painted bodies and drive units to the final assembly area are all currently being built.
The existing engine plant is being expanded to manufacture electric motors, and a new body shop will also be developed.
Investments are also planned for the Weissach Development Centre.
Production of the Taycan is creating around 1200 new jobs in Zuffenhausen alone.
Porsche plans to invest more than six billion Euros in electromobility by 2022, doubling the investment that the company had originally planned.
Of the additional three billion Euros, some 500 million Euros will be used for the development of Taycan variants and derivatives, around one billion Euros for electrification and hybridization of the existing product range, several hundred million for the expansion of production sites, and around 700 million Euros for new technologies, charging infrastructure, and smart mobility.
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