2021 Porsche Taycan Arrives With Faster Performance And Upgraded Tech

Aug. 19, 2020 5:12 AM ET by Martin Bigg Reveal / 2 Comments

A raft of new tech has also been added to the 2021 Porsche Taycan.

After the 2021 Porsche Panamera Turbo set a new lap record at the Nurburgring, Porsche is focusing its attention back on the electric Taycan. For the 2021 model year, the Porsche Taycan has been updated with a raft of new tech and improved performance. The Porsche Taycan Turbo S is already insanely fast, but the 2021 model will now sprint from 0-124 mph in 9.6 seconds with launch control, beating the previous time by 0.2 seconds. It will also do the quarter-mile in 10.7 seconds, down from 10.8 secs in the previous model.

Among the new tech added to the 2021 Porsche Taycan includes a color head-up display that projects relevant information into the driver's field of vision. The display is split into three sections: a main display section, status section and temporary content, such as calls or voice control commands. Available pre-sets include a navigation display, power meter, and a user-defined view.

2021 Porsche Taycan models with adaptive air suspension also now feature a new 'Smartlift' system that can be programmed to make the Taycan automatically raise the ride height in specific locations. This should prove useful when navigating speed bumps or driveways in the low-slung electric sports car. Furthermore, the Smartlift function will also adjust the ride height on the highway to achieve the best balance between efficiency and ride comfort.

Thanks to over-the-air updates, customers can install new tech for the 2021 Porsche Taycan without having to visit a dealership. Porsche calls this service 'Function on Demand.' An Intelligent Range Manager is already available to install, along with an Active Lane Keep Assist and Porsche InnoDrive. Working with the Adaptive Cruise Control, Porsche's InnoDrive system adapts the car's speed to the conditions ahead based on factors such as speed limits, turns, traffic circles, and other situations where you need to stop.

To make charging more convenient, Porsche's new Plug & Charge service allows drivers to plug in the charging cable and let authentication be handled automatically by the ISO 15118 standard vehicle-to-grid communication. The charging station identifies the connected vehicle and can automatically process payments. Porsche's Plug & Charge service will be available at Electrify America charging points at the start of 2021.

If customers are planning to make a longer stop, the 2021 Porsche Taycan's charging capacity can be regulated to around 200 kW at DC fast-charging stations to improve the battery preservation and reduce the overall power loss while charging. A charging capacity of up to 270 kW is also still available at 800-volt high-power charging stations.

Seven new exterior colors have been added to the 2021 Porsche Taycan options list, including Mahogany Metallic, Frozenberry Metallic, Cherry Metallic, Coffee Beige Metallic, Chalk, Neptune Blue, and Ice Grey Metallic.

Five new interior options are also available, including a Black/Limestone Beige standard interior, Blackberry and Blackberry/Slate Grey leather interior, Graphite Blue/Slate Grey Race-Tex interior, and a Basalt Black/Meranti Brown OLEA Club Leather interior.

The Carbon Sport Design package, which is offered as standard for the Taycan Turbo S, will be available for all model year 2021 Taycan versions, adding carbon-fiber inserts in the bottom of the front section and in the side sill trims, and carbon-fiber fins on the rear diffuser. SiriusXM 360L is now available for the infotainment system and Apple podcasts can now be selected as an individual media source. Media sources can now also be reordered and locations that support the Porsche Charging Services app can be prioritized in the charging destination list.

Orders for all 2021 Porsche Taycan models will start in Q4 2020 before US deliveries begin in Q1 2021. Taycan 4S models can also now be configured with the standard 79.2 kWh Performance Battery, while all Taycan models will come standard with a double-bubble aluminum roof and Mobile Charger Plus.