OVERVIEW:
Porsche's first electric car is a sleek sports sedan that fully lives up to the brand's high-performance reputation. The 2020 Porsche Taycan (pronounced tie-kahn) delivers incredible acceleration, precise handling, and aggressive styling. There's some interesting engineering under the skin, too. The Taycan is the first production electric vehicle to use a two-speed transmission and an 800-volt electrical system, which allow for quicker acceleration and shorter recharge times, respectively. In theory, the Taycan is the first real challenger to the Tesla Model S. In practice, the Porsche and Tesla have unique advantages that should steer buyers toward an easier decision. The Model S offers a much higher range rating—but, our real-world testing showed it only has a tiny advantage over a Taycan Turbo S—a more practical package, and access to a sprawling network of fast-charging stations. The Porsche's priority is performance above all else, with interior space as a secondary concern.

 PRICE:

  •  4S: $105,150
  •  Turbo: $152,250
  •  Turbo S: $186,350


While buying a Porsche is often an exercise in excess, our pick is the cheaper Porsche Taycan 4S. It's plenty quick and is likely to deliver more range on a single charge than the pricier Turbo models. Porsche's list of optional equipment is longer (and far pricier) than an eight-year-old's Christmas list, which makes choosing the perfect Taycan a very personal affair. However, all buyers should consider the 150-kW charger that triples the maximum charging power at 400-volt DC fast-charging stations.

 Engine, Transmission, and Performance:
The Taycan 4S, Turbo and Turbo S drive all four wheels with two electric motors. The peak outputs of 522 horsepower (4S with base battery), 563 horsepower (4S with bigger battery), 670 horsepower (Turbo), and 750 (Turbo S) only last for short bursts of 2.5 seconds at a time. After that, all models reduce the output slightly to protect the drivetrain from heat. The shifts of the rear motor's unique two-speed transmission are almost imperceptible during regular driving. But activate launch control, and the Porsche knocks out a one-two shift that is as quick and as hard as any gas-powered sports car. In our testing, the Turbo S ripped to 60 mph in 2.4 seconds, making it the fastest EV-only car we've ever tested and the third-quickest car in the history of our testing. (Behind the Lamborghini Huracán Performante and the Porsche 918 Spyder.) We haven't tested the Turbo or the 4S, but we estimate they should do the deed in 3.0 seconds and 3.8 seconds, respectively. It's normal for EVs to get slower as the battery charge depletes, but Porsche says the Taycan will be able to execute 10 back-to-back launches with consistent performance.