Skip to main content

Porsche staged 26 acceleration tests in a row to prove the Taycan could take it

The Taycan will be Porsche’s first production electric car, so it will need to offer performance worthy of the Porsche crest. But performance isn’t just about numbers, it’s about repeatability. A quick acceleration time isn’t that impressive if a car can only do it once before needing to cool down. To ensure that wouldn’t be a problem for the Taycan, Porsche subjected a prototype to a torture test.

Recommended Videos

Porsche took the Taycan (pronounced “tie-con”) to a German airfield that once hosted zeppelin airships, where it was run from 0 to 200 kph (124 mph) and back to 0 again 26 times in a row. The test runs, which were documented by YouTube channel Fully Charged, were run in both directions to account for wind, with an average temperature of 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit), according to Porsche.

The results? The average time was just under 10 seconds, with a difference of just 0.8 second between the quickest run and the slowest run, according to Porsche.

That consistency was largely down to the Taycan’s battery-cooling system, according to Porsche. Aggressive acceleration pulls a lot of power from the battery pack, causing it to heat up quickly, so dealing with that heat is crucial to making electric cars go fast (just ask Formula E race teams). Porsche claims the Taycan’s thermal management system was designed with high-performance driving in mind. In addition to keeping the 90-kilowatt-hour battery pack cool, it also provides heat in winter conditions to keep the pack at its ideal operating temperature.

Engineers’ fanatical attention to detail is apparent throughout the Taycan. The motors — one for each axle — use “hairpin winding,” in which wires are bent into a shape that looks like a hairpin, then welded in place with a laser beam. This takes up less space than conventional wiring, allowing for more electricity-conducting copper wire to be packed into a motor, according to Porsche. That not only increases horsepower and torque output, but also makes it easier to cool the motor, the automaker claims.

The Taycan can accelerate from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in less than 3.5 seconds, and has a top speed of over 250 kph (155 mph), according to Porsche. It will also employ an 800-volt charging system — the most powerful for any production car so far — which should ensure fast charging. The car has been teased since the original Mission E concept was unveiled in 2015, and is finally expected to make its public debut at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Scout Terra vs. Tesla Cybertruck: retro and futuristic, head to head
Scout Motors Terra driving front

Scout Motors is back. The classic brand has been reinvigorated under Volkswagen Group, and not only that, but it has already announced two new vehicles that it plans to launch in the next few years. Of the two, the Scout Terra is the electric truck, and it's built to offer a modern design with an excellent range and fast performance.

But how does the Scout Terra compare with another popular electric truck, the Tesla Cybertruck? While the Scout Terra is set to be much cheaper than the Cybertruck is now, it's entirely possible that by the time the Terra is released, it could have a higher price tag than expected, while Tesla lowers the price tag of the Cybertruck. Is one of these trucks objectively better? We put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The Scout Terra and the Tesla Cybertruck arguably couldn't be further apart in terms of design. Of course, variation is a good thing, at least as long as both options are solid under the hood too.

Read more
Hyundai 2025 Ioniq 5 is under $44,000, with more range and NACS port
hyundai ioniq 5 44000 nacs 64149 large631652025ioniq5xrt

Hyundai is on a roll. In October, the South Korean manufacturer posted its best U.S. sales ever, largely driven by sales of its popular Ioniq 5 electric SUV.

Now, all eyes are on the Ioniq 5’s 2025 model, which is set to become available at dealerships before year-end. As Digital Trends previously reported, the crossover model adds a more rugged-looking trim level called XRT and provides additional driving range as well as new charging options.

Read more
Mazda confirms a hybrid CX-5 and electric SUV are on the way
mazda hybrid cx 5 electric suv 2024 arata concept 4

Mazda might be making headway in the pursuit of bringing back an electric vehicle (EV) stateside.

Ever since it discontinued the MX-30 EV in the U.S. last year, the Japanese automaker has had zero EV offerings for potential U.S. customers.

Read more