Porsche’s flagship all-electric car, the Taycan, has been captured cruising the streets of Shanghai ahead of its launch this September in global markets.
Images of the black Taycan electric sportscar were snapped by Porsche’s China division, replete in exclusive livery featuring the Chinese character 和 (hé) which means peace, or harmony.
Cruising past iconic Shanghai landmarks such as the Bund, Peace Hotel and Xintiandi, the images of the stunning electric vehicle showcase its classic sportscar design.
It’s the first time the German carmaker has publicly revealed its inaugural all-electric car, which has evolved from Porsche’s original concept the Mission E and which, when released, will be able to charge at a rate of nearly 300km per hour.
With a top speed of 250km/hr, a real-world range of over 400km and an 85kWh battery, the Taycan is expected to deliver an incredible 900Nm torque and 434kW power.
Its silent prowl through the Chinese city’s streets was also captured and shared by Chinese-based tweep going by the name of “Jay in Shanghai“.
All-electric Porsche Taycan Prototype spotted in Guangzhou, China. @Porsche What do you think?#Porsche #Tesla #EV #ElectricVehicle #Taycan #China pic.twitter.com/egc2R59IiM
— Jay in Shanghai (@ShanghaiJayin) March 11, 2019
Behind the wheel of the prototype Taycan was Chinese Porsche Carrera Cup Asia racing car driver, Li Chao, who said in a statement that, “The exceptional performance typical for Porsche was a clear development objective for the Taycan. You can sense that right from the start.”
“From uncompromisingly sporty to surprisingly comfortable, the chassis of the new Taycan covers a wide range and successfully combines the precise handling of a sports car and the long-distance comfort of a saloon.
“In addition to its low centre of gravity, the rear-axle steering also plays a crucial role. The Taycan steers into corners very directly and has plenty of grip,” he said.
The Taycan was also snapped recently in spy shots in Germany’s Stuttgart in early June, as posted to Youtube in a three part video (see the first one below).
While Australia has not yet been privy to an actual Taycan on local roads, Porsche did show off its conceptual version, the Mission E, in late 2018 at Sydney’s Barangaroo.
Interest in the luxury electric sportscar has been high according to the carmaker, which had originally intended to start with a run of 20,000 units, commencing production later this year to release to the auto market in September 2019.
However in January 2019 Porsche announced that due to considerable interest, it would double the Taycan’s initial run.
While an official price has not yet been set, electric car specifications website EV-Database has published a nominal target price of £120,000 ($A218,000 converted).
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model Y and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.