Mission E: Porsche’s first
fully electric sports car is named Taycan
The
future of mobility is another step closer: Series production of the first
purely electric Porsche is set to begin next year. In preparation, the vehicle
has now been given its official name: The “Mission E” concept study, the name
currently used to describe Porsche’s complete electric offering, will be known
as the Taycan. The name can be roughly translated as “lively young horse”,
referencing the imagery at the heart of the Porsche crest, which has featured a
leaping steed 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”, explains Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche
AG. The oriental 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 series as part of the “70 years of sports cars” ceremony.
Two permanently excited synchronous motors (PSM)
with a system output of over 600 hp (440 kW) accelerate the electric sports car
to 100 km/h in well under 3.5 seconds and to 200 km/h in under twelve seconds.
This performance is in addition to a continuous power level that is unprecedented
among electric vehicles: Multiple jump starts are possible in succession
without loss of performance, and the vehicle’s maxi-mum range is over 500 km in
accordance with the NEDC. Porsche, the vehicle names generally have a concrete
connection with the corresponding model and its characteristics: The name
Boxster describes the combination of the boxer engine and roadster design;
Cayenne denotes fieriness, the Cayman is incisive and agile, and the Panamera
offers more than a standard Gran Turismo, which is what allowed it to win the
Carrera Panamericana long-distance race. The name Macan is derived from the
Indonesian word for tiger, with connotations of suppleness,
power, fascination
and dynamics.
Porsche plans to invest more than six billion euro in
electromobility by 2022, doubling the expenditure that the company had
originally planned. Of the additional three billion euro, some 500 million euro
will be used for the development of Taycan variants and derivatives, around one
billion euro for electrification and hybridization of the existing product
range, several hundred million for the expansion of production sites, plus
around 700 million euro for new technologies, charging infrastructure and smart
mobility.
At the Porsche headquarters in Zuffenhausen, a new paint shop,
dedicated assembly area for the Taycan and a conveyor bridge for transporting
the painted bodies and drive units to the final assembly area are currently
being constructed. The existing engine plant is being expanded to manufacture
electric drives and the body shop will also be developed. Investment is also
planned for the Weissach Development Centre. Production of the Taycan is
creating around 1,200 new jobs in Zuffenhausen alone.
BRUCE
HUBBARD
AUTO
ADVISOR GROUP
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