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Electrifying a Legend: Porsche Taycan's Incredible Lineage

Porsche Taycan Porsche Palm Springs

If you’d said 15 years ago that Porsche would create an electric vehicle that accelerated as fast as its iconic 911 Turbo nobody would have believed you.


Back then, the first generation of electric cars, such as the GM EV1, had taken a nosedive in the market and all other EV models were looking like they would follow suit.

At least for the time being.

But let's back it up a bit more.

First Electric Cars - EV1
The GM EV1, The first generation of electric cars.

As outlined in the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car, the future of electric cars looked so good initially. The EV1 was available by lease initially to customers in California and Arizona exclusively. The vehicle's range was generally between 70 to 100 miles, and people were very excited about the car.

Unfortunately, GM eventually came to believe that electric cars would be unprofitable and wound up turning off production of their entire EV fleet amid outrage from customers.

Blue Porsche Taycan

So how did we get from that mess to where we are now with the all-electric Taycan, for example, being one of the fastest and most sought after EVs in the world? In fact, the Taycan Turbo S EV recently set a new Guinness World Record for fastest indoor vehicle speed. It was achieved at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The old record was 86 mph. The Taycan's new record is 102.6 mph.

The electric version of the Taycan Turbo S is just as quick at accelerating as the gasoline powered 911 Turbo S. In fact, no internal-combustion engine can duplicate the instantaneous torque of an electric powertrain. 
The 911 – particularly the 911 Turbo S - has long been the German automaker’s centerpiece. But the EV Taycan Turbo S may be quickly catching up with the iconic sports car.


The original 911 Turbo S and the Taycan Turbo S aren't that far apart philosophically. Both of them came out of Porsche's pioneering spirit and perfectionism. "They are both state-of-the-art grand touring cars. But they’re in separate states of different arts,” according to an article on the theRoad and Trackwebsite.  The Road and Track piece points out that the current 911 Turbo S is the direct lineal descendant of the incredible 1975 911 Turbo Carrera. “Like that 260-hp dentist-killer of 45 years ago, it’s powered by a turbocharged flat-six ridiculously positioned aft of the rear wheels. And they kinda/sorta almost look alike, too,” according to the article. In fact, the Taycan Turbo S has similar power and sporty attitude and borrows many styling cues from the original. 

Porsche Taycan Driving

Let’s take a look at the similarities and differences between what are now two iconic Porsches: 

Similarities

  • The Taycan’s front hood has a 911-like indent at its center and is set low between the fenders. 
  • The Taycan’s A-pillars and windshield are close to 911 shapes
  • The Taycan’s tail uses the current Porsche full-slash lighting theme like the 911.
  • The Taycan also has yellow brake calipers. 
Porsche Taycan for Sale

Differences 

Taycan Turbo S commands a starting price of $185,00 while the 911 Turbo S starts at $203,500

-The Taycan does not use gas or employ a “real” turbo engine and instead has two electric motors—one over the front axle and the other over the rear axle. In between is a massive battery carrying 396 electric cells outputting 800 volts. With 93 kilowatt-hours available the Taycan Turbo S is EPA-rated at 192 miles of total range.
(But it gets more in real world tests).

-When it comes to aesthetics some say the Taycan is an update on a legendary design. It’s gorgeous outside and inside, where a floating, curved digital panel nearly wraps around the steering wheel. Additionally there's virtual gauges on the panel hint at traditional dashboard layouts in the 911 but with a look all its own.

Porsche Taycan Connection

-The Taycan starts up in a very high-tech fashion: You simply press the start button to the left of the steering wheel and the dash lights up like something out of Star Wars.

-The Taycan Turbo has fewer maintenance needs while the gas-powered 911 requires fuel, cooling, lubrication, and all the other maintenance details you expect to take care of with a non-electric automobile. The Taycan, with none of those same parts and no motor oil and gas needs due to its battery-powered engine, requires minimal upkeep.  

-The Taycan Turbo S won't give you the growl of the 911 even in Sport Plus mode.  

-Taycan’s top speed is a 161 mph whereas the 911 hits 205. So there you have it! Please reach out today if we can answer any of your questions or get you scheduled for a test drive!

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PORSCHE Joining the UN Global Compact

Porsche Affirms its Commitment to a Sustainable Future by Joining the UN Global Compact.

It's official, Porsche joins UN Global Compact. The United Nations recently confirmed that Porsche joins UN Global Compact, the world’s biggest and most important initiative for sustainable and responsible corporate governance. UN Global Compact is a multi-stakeholder platform for the development, implementation, and disclosure of responsible business practices, according to Porsche. “We are implementing our sustainability strategy throughout our company and together with our partners. Porsche has the ambition to make its value chain net carbon-neutral in 2030 including a net carbon-neutral use phase for future BEV models,” said Barbara Frenkel, Member of the Executive Board for Procurement at Porsche AG. “The participation in UN Global Compact clearly underlines our aspiration to reconcile business activity with ecological considerations and fair working conditions.” Barbara Frenkel, Member of The Executive Board for Procurement at Porsche AG. Among other things, the UN Global Compact is a call to companies/industry as a whole to align operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. It also calls for companies to take action in support of United Nations goals and issues embodied in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As Porsche joins UN Global Compact, part of the initiative is that Porsche will regularly report to the UN Global Compact and the public regarding its activities in these fields. The UN Global Compact was launched in 2000 and is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world. It includes more than 15,000 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories spread over 160 countries. All 193 Member States of the United Nations in 2015 adopted a plan for “achieving a better future for all” while creating a path over the next 15 years to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and protect our planet. Cool things happening in Porsche. Check out: Porsche Turbo Chargers Are Changing the World of EV Charging Learn More About The Porsche Corporate Sustainability Initiative and How It Wil Benefit Its Drivers. Its “Agenda 2030” includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that define the world “we want — applying to all nations and leaving no one behind.” The goals spring from a process that has been more inclusive than ever, with governments involving business, civil society, and citizens from the outset. “We are all in agreement on where the world needs to go. Fulfilling these ambitions will take an unprecedented effort by all sectors in society — and business has to play a very important role in the process,” according to the UN Compact. The group notes that the modern-day business landscape is characterized by an unprecedented, accelerating, and complex mix of risks and opportunities. That means a company’s entire market can be disrupted in a short time by innumerable factors, be it a new technology or a sudden lack of natural resources, according to the UN group. “New markets are emerging rapidly due to megatrends such as population growth, resource scarcity, or global health risks. Meanwhile, consumers and investors are better informed than ever before – and they want businesses to take responsibility for the pressure our planet and its population are under.” Porsche Is Trying To Stay Ahead of The Curve Due to Unprecedented Circumstances That Could Potentially Occur. Porsche and other companies are trying to stay ahead of the curve and concern themselves with more than short-term profits due to the increasing risk of natural disasters, social unrest, and economic disparity that can damage long-term prosperity. Businesses such as Porsche that understand this challenge can take action and stay a step ahead. Electric cars are a key part of Porsche’s plan to achieve carbon neutrality by the year 2030. Although it is not the first automaker to announce aggressive goals for electrification and reduced emissions, reaching zero carbon by 2030 will involve Porsche’s entire supply chain from start to finish. Porsche Aims To Achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2030. “Sustainability is an important part of our Strategy 2030 – holistically: on economic, ecological, and social terms,” said Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Board of AG, in a news release. “We launched a comprehensive decarbonization program with a firm target in mind: Porsche wants to have a CO2-neutral balance sheet throughout the entire value chain in 2030.” As Porsche joins UN Global Compact, you can expect a lot more to come from the German luxury automotive brand. Get on in the exciting changes happening and stay tuned. Check out our latest inventory at Porsche Palm Springs today. NEW INVENTORY

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Jerry Seinfeld's Porsche Collection is Beyond World-Class

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