Flying Spur

Make
Bentley
Segment
Sedan

Porsche recently confirmed its first ever purely electric car, previously known as the Mission E, will be called the Taycan, but its technical specifications remained a mystery – until now.

Porsche has released technical specs for the production car due to go on sale in 2019, and the good news is they closely match the specs of the original Mission E concept from 2015. The Taycan will use two permanently synchronous motors like those found in the Le Mans-winning 919 Hybrid, with one for the front axle and the other driving the rear wheels, producing a combined output of over 600 horsepower.

These two electric motors generate a permanent rotary motion that can be applied at any time without needing to be started. "We opted for a permanently excited synchronous motor in the Taycan," said Heiko Mayer, drive unit project leader. "They combine a high energy density with strong sustained performance and maximum efficiency." High-voltage lithium-ion batteries will provide a range of over 310 miles, though which testing cycle the range it's based on hasn't been specified.

According to Porsche, once the battery is depleted it will take around 15 minutes to give the car enough juice to cover 248 miles thanks to the Taycan's fast-charging capabilities that take advantage of 800-volt chargers. In Europe and the US, the Taycan will comply with the Combined Charging System, while in Japan and China Porsche will offer the local standards.

Being a Porsche, the Taycan will deliver a level of performance that is synonymous with the brand. Porsche claims 0-62 mph will take "well under" three and a half seconds, while 124 mph will take less than 12 seconds from a standstill. As for production, Porsche estimates it will ship around 20,000 units per year, which is roughly two-thirds of the current sales figures for the 911.

Porsche also revealed around 40 specialists have built "three figures" worth of prototypes. 21 of these camouflaged prototypes were shipped to the western part of South Africa where more than 60 developers racked up around 24,854 miles. Porsche says that figure will increase to "millions of kilometers" by the time testing has finished, ensuring Porsche's first ever electric sports car will"run like clockwork in even the toughest conditions."