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Mission E: Porsche names its first fully electric sports car the Taycan

Porsche has named its first fully electric sports the Taycan. Production is set to begin in 2019.

The “Mission E” concept study, the name currently used to describe Porsche’s complete electric offering, will be known as the Taycan.

Young horse 

The name can be roughly translated as "lively young horse", referencing the imagery at the heart of the Porsche crest, which has featured a leaping steed since 1952.

"Our new electric sports car is strong and dependable; it’s a vehicle that can consistently cover long distances and that epitomises freedom," explains Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG.

READ: Wow! Porsche celebrates 70th anniversary with throwback 911 Speedster Concept

The oriental name also signifies the launch of the first electric sports car with the soul of a Porsche.

Porsche announced the name for its first purely electric series as part of the "70 years of sports cars" ceremony.

Two permanently excited synchronous motors (PSM) with a system output of over 440kW accelerate the electric sports car to 100km/h in well under 3.5 seconds and to 200km/h in under twelve seconds.

This performance is in addition to a continuous power level that is unprecedented among electric vehicles: Multiple jump starts are possible in succession without loss of performance, and the vehicle’s maximum range is over 500km in accordance with the NEDC.

Names with real meaning

At Porsche, the vehicle names generally have a concrete connection with the corresponding model and its characteristics: The name Boxster describes the combination of the boxer engine and roadster design; Cayenne denotes fieriness, the Cayman is incisive and agile, and the Panamera offers more than a standard Gran Turismo, which is what allowed it to win the Carrera Panamericana long-distance race.

The name Macan is derived from the Indonesian word for tiger, with connotations of suppleness, power, fascination and dynamics.

Future investment doubled

Porsche plans to invest more than €6-billion in electromobility by 2022, doubling the expenditure that the company had originally planned.

Of the additional €3-billion, some 500 million will be used for the development of Taycan variants and derivatives, around €1-billion for electrification and hybridisation of the existing product range, several hundred million for the expansion of production sites, plus around 700 million for new technologies, charging infrastructure and smart mobility.

Extensive modifications and expansion at the Zuffenhausen headquarters

At the Porsche headquarters in Zuffenhausen, a new paint shop, dedicated assembly area for the Taycan and a conveyor bridge for transporting the painted bodies and drive units to the final assembly area are currently being constructed.

The existing engine plant is being expanded to manufacture electric drives and the body shop will also be developed.

Image: Porsche

Investment is also planned for the Weissach Development Centre. Production of the Taycan is creating around 1200 new jobs in Zuffenhausen alone. 


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