Since Porsche first revealed the Taycan in both its Turbo and Turbo S variants, the model has been explosively popular. Company CEO Oliver Blume confirmed over 30,000 European pre-orders according to recent reports since the Taycan’s September debut, and more reservations are rolling in from U.S. customers as well. Porsche wouldn’t confirm American pre-order figures, but there’s no doubt there’s much hype for the 2020 Porsche Taycan. Now, although Porsche suggested the top-end models would have up to 280 miles of range, official EPA figures aren’t even close to that original estimate.
Instead, EPA figures suggest Taycan Turbo manages just 201 miles on a full charge. Given its 93.4 kWh battery, that means it chews through electricity at a whopping 49 kWh per 100 miles, or just 2.2 miles per kilowatt-hour. That’s nearly double the consumption rate listed for the Tesla Model 3 Long Range (26 kWh/100 mi) and substantially higher than the Model S Long Range (30 kWh/100 mi). Both Tesla’s offerings also pack over 300 miles of range as well, with the Model S stretching its range out to 370 miles in its current form.
Porsche’s response
According to a Jalopnik report, Porsche went to independent firm AMCI Testing to defend its original claims on the Taycan Turbo’s range. AMCI came back with a more respectable 275 miles, but that doesn’t change the EPA-published figure. As the Porsche Taycan starts at $103,800 and the Turbo S tops out at a massive $185,000, carrying the weight of a low range estimate will make it a less appealing option against Tesla for those wanting longer range. Porsche does take a different approach, aiming for performance over economy, but in a world where range anxiety is still a very real consideration for most EV buyers, 201 miles (or even 275) isn’t quite enough.
Editor’s Note: It’s important to take official range figures with a grain of salt. While the EPA figured a much lower range and Porsche says the Taycan Turbo S can manage 275 miles, the answer probably lies somewhere in the middle. Real-world conditions impact electricity consumption much the same as fuel economy, so the actual range will vary depending on where and how you drive.
While we haven’t tested the Porsche’s out-and-out range just yet, we did get a chance to try out its top speed on the German Autobahn. Check that out below:
