Car review – Porsche Taycan 4S

Phenomenal from the get-go

When a carmaker like Porsche decides to build an electric car for the first time, you know it will be exciting. After our test with the Taycan 4S, we can only describe it in one word: phenomenal.

Function follows form

Function follows form

The Taycan looks ultra-modern but it is also immediately recognisable as a Porsche. It offers room for four (and if required even five), although it is a lot less spacious than the Panamera. Headroom is limited in the back, especially to the side, because of the tapered roofline. You are more comfortable in the front but the view on the beautiful curved and floating digital instrument cluster is a bit obstructed by the steering wheel. The infotainment screen is neatly integrated on top of the centre console, with almost all buttons replaced by virtual keys.

At the front it has a small 81-litre boot which it mainly useful to store the charging cables. At the back, the boot can hold 407 litres. The boot lid does not open very wide, making it an unlikely candidate for a moving van.

Mechanics

Mechanics

The Taycan 4S has a 79.2-kWh battery as standard and delivers a maximum of 530hp. When equipped with the optional 93.4-kWh Performance Battery Plus, it also delivers more power, up to 571hp in peak overboost. We also recommend this option because it increases the driving range from 407 to 463 kilometres (WLTP).

The Taycan 4S has an electric motor on each axle, which makes it a variable all-wheel drive. Still, the focus is on the rear wheels. It also has a two-speed gearbox on the rear motor to help it maintain high speeds.

The first electric sports car

The first electric sports car

The way the Taycan drives is simply phenomenal. This is about much more than just the sensation of dazzling accelerations – it is also about the handling. The acceleration times of our base Taycan are absolutely impressive with a sprint from 0 to 100km/h in four seconds. Knowing the Turbo S only needs 2.8 seconds to get there, you understand acceleration can also hurt physically if you are not prepared for it. Accelerating to 200km/h only takes 12.9 seconds on this 4S.

Charging

The Taycan is the first production car to operate with a system voltage of 800 volt, meaning the battery can be charged much faster on powerful DC chargers with peak charging power of no less than 270kW. However, it will not be easy to find a charger that puts out that much power – most DC fast chargers in our country are limited to 50kW.

You can charge at home at speeds of up to 11kW if you have a wallbox and three-phase alternating current. A 22kW on-board charger was added to the option list at the end of 2020, which can halve the charging time at an AC charger.

This Taycan 4S is a real Porsche: it has smashing performance, excellent handling and it does not go unnoticed. As a 4S, it costs around €80,000 less in its base version than the very expensive Turbo S. For that price difference, you can opt for the Performance Battery Plus and build a swimming pool in your garden with what is left.