Porsche Australia has installed new electric car fast chargers at its Porsche Centres across Australia ahead of the planned early 2021 launch of the Taycan electric sports car.
The Taycan, based on the Mission-E concept on show at Bagaroo in 2019, is Porsche’s first foray into electric mobility and will hit the high-end of the local EV market with a starting price of $191,000.
There will be three variants available in Australia from the entry-level 4S, to the $269,100 Turbo and the top-of-the-line $339,100 Turbo S, Porsche announced in June.
The new chargers are being installed by Jet Charge and include high-powered 350kW DC ultra-rapid chargers at some locations that recharge a Taycan from 5-80% in a little more than 22 minutes.
Other locations will have 175kW DC fast chargers. The Taycan is capable of 350kW charging but is currently software limited to a maximum 270kW charge rate.
“Some of the chargers we have installed in Porsche Centres in recent months are among the fastest charging stations available globally,” said Jet Charge CEO Tim Washington.
“Porsche Centres with these ultra-rapid DC chargers give us a glimpse into the future of dealerships. They are not only a place to buy, sell and maintain cars, but potentially recharge your electric vehicle in a fast and convenient way.”
First deliveries for the Taycan will commence in late February 2021, Porsche confirmed with The Driven on Tuesday.
“It is exciting to see years of planning and preparation now come to fruition at Porsche Centres around Australia,” Sam Curtis, managing director and CEO of Porsche Cars Australia, said in a statement.
“When Porsche Centres take delivery of the new Taycan from February 2021, our people and facilities will be well prepared.”
Porsche says that in addition to installing EV chargers (which will be available to Porsche customers), it has been upgrading other aspects of its showrooms and service centres in readiness for the Porsche Taycan as well as other future electric models.
This includes AC “destination” chargers at all centres, dedicated EV service areas and the addition of rooftop solar at certain locations to provide renewably sourced energy.
Once deliveries commence in early 2021, Porsche Taycan owners will also be able to benefit from free complimentary charging on the Chargefox ultra-rapid 350kW charging network, as well as – like any electric car owner – being able to charge at home. Porsche says it will also have its own destination charging network.
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.