Porsche’s all-electric Taycan had its first public premiere in Shanghai. The company brought out a prototype for a few demo laps at a handling track at its Porsche Experience Centre there. The car was driven by Li Chao, a Porsche Carrera Cup Asia racing driver and businessman. He also finished 2nd at the 2019 China GT Debut in Sepang.
The Taycan Prototype will continue making its rounds, next in the UK and finally in the US. It will show location-specific livery. For the Shanghai run, it sported a dragon graphic. They haven’t said what the UK and US cars will be displaying on their roofs, but our guess is a Union Jack and a bald eagle. Maybe.
The final production version of the Taycan ought to appear on the market some time in September of this year. This is after it has completed about 6 million kilometres of road testing.
About the Porsche Taycan
The Taycan has a top speed of over 250 km/h. It can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in less than 3.5 seconds, and it reaches 200 km/h in less than 12 seconds. The Taycan will also demonstrate its potential at the other stops on the Porsche Triple Demo Run: in the Hill Run as part of the Festival of Speed at Goodwood (4 to 7 July 2019) and at the season finale of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship in New York from 13 to 14 July 2019. Again, there will be famous drivers behind the wheel – this time Mark Webber and Neel Jani.
Before the Taycan celebrates its world premiere in September, it will have covered around six million test kilometres. At Porsche, electric cars have to undergo the same rigorous testing programme as combustion-engined sports cars. In addition to displaying superior performance, this always includes proving unrestricted everyday usability in all climatic conditions. Particularly demanding tasks such as charging the battery, or controlling the temperatures for the drivetrain and interior under extreme conditions, are additional aspects that are tested for the battery electric models.
About the Porsche Experience Centre (PEC) Shanghai
Opened on 26 April 2018, this PEC is the first in Asia and the sixth Porsche Experience Centre globally. The Experience Centre also has direct access to the 5.5-kilometre Shanghai International Circuit. A 1.4-kilometre handling track with skid pan, hydraulic kick plate and dynamic area gives drivers the chance to get to grips with vehicle dynamics. There is also an off-road track. The convenient location of the PEC Shanghai is another bonus as approximately 300 million people live within a three-hour drive.
