Porsche Taycan Turbo S: An Electric Car Like No Other
Chastity Velasquez
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Test-driving on a closed-circuit track is the best way to see how a car handles in all conditions
Sleek, elegant, sexy, and confident. This is everything I want to be as a woman, and it’s how I like my cars. The Porsche Taycan Turbo S is all of this and more!
While visiting the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta, Georgia, I had the pleasure of driving the Porsche Taycan Turbo S, an all-electric performance vehicle, and the 911 Turbo to get a feel on how they handle different terrains and multiple weather conditions.
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Porsche Taycan Turbo S
The Porsche Experience Center (PEC) offers a 1.6-mile circuit for drivers to experience the performance of Porsche vehicles. While behind the wheel, I had the chance to test out the 1-mile circuit. It feels like you are driving on a winding country road. There’s also a kick plate that mimics sliding during inclement weather, a low friction circle on wet polished concrete has you learning to drift like a pro, a low-friction handling circuit with tight curves tests your skills during understeer conditions, and the dynamics area where I got to see how fast these cars can go.
This is my third track experience, but the PEC is unlike others because of the different type of driving experiences you can enjoy. You have the choice to drive all of the circuits or stick to your favorite areas on the track. It’s all about you, what you’re comfortable with, and what you want to learn.
The PEC isn’t simply driving in a circle. It’s about learning to drive in all conditions, really getting a feel for the vehicles, pushing them to the limits and giving you a thrill of a lifetime. A place to escape to enjoy the speed and power that you can only get from a Porsche.
No Bad Days When Driving the Taycan
I can honestly say that the entire 90 minutes I was behind the wheel, I was smiling from ear to ear. It’s not possible to have a bad day when you are driving the Taycan.
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Gorgeous interior of Porsche Taycan Turbo S Photo: Chastity Beene
Driving a Porsche gives you all the feels. It’s a luxurious, smooth, and elegant ride that will have you coming up with all sorts of reasons to drive somewhere.
The Taycan has a comfortable interior and with a 14-way power-adjustable and ventilated front seats, so you’re guaranteed to get cozy while driving — even if you’re getting warm doing some intense driving like I was. I like my vehicle nice and cold while driving, so having the AC and cooling seats going at the same time make for a nice ride.
I was a little worried about getting hot with the panoramic moon roof, but it blocks out UV light and keeps in the cabin air comfortable and cool.
One of my favorite features is when hitting the brakes, the seatbelt gets a little snug, and the seat tightens for a moment around you. It’s as if the Taycan is giving you a hug and whispering in your ear saying, “I’ll keep you, safe, girlfriend.”
Changing How I Feel About Electric Cars
Honestly, before I drove the Porsche Taycan, my thoughts on electric cars were that they are non-practical and look like toy cars. I couldn’t wrap my head around why anyone would want that.
But from the moment that I sat in the Taycan and rounded that first curve on the track, I instantly started thinking about trading in my gas-guzzling 4×4 truck for this beauty. By the time I hit the back straightaway going 80 miles per hour, my decision was made! I need this electric vehicle in my life. It had me thinking the Porsche Wall Charger Connect would fit nicely in the back corner of my garage and dreaming of never having to get gas in the mornings (which we can all agree on is never a good way to start the day).
The Taycan seats four and has all the functions of a family car. Great for running the kids around to sports practice and school drop-off, but also have you feeling sexy on a night out.
But make no mistake — the Taycan is all about performance. If you feel the need to speed, then this is the car for you! Goes from 0 to 60 in three seconds with top speeds reaching 162 mph. It will make you feel powerful and a little wild even when out running errands, and it’ll totally change your perception of what it means to be an electric car. And let’s be honest, we all need the little thrills in life to get us through the day.
It’s the first all-electric car that has an 800-volt battery, compared to 400 volts of other electric vehicles on the market. The front and rear electric motors are combined with 750 horsepower and 774 pounds of torque. Press the pedal to the floor, and the rear motor’s two-speed transmission has it taking off like a rocket. The Taycan is the first electric vehicle that boasts a multisided transmission, which lets you reach top speed with seriously quick acceleration.
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Steering wheel of Porsche Taycan Turbo S Photo: Chastity Beene
Worried about taking road trips and finding a place to charge the vehicle? If you are sticking to the highways, you can charge the vehicle at any Electrify America station, which are located about every 200 miles. The Taycan can be charged from 5% of battery life to 80% in only 20 minutes, giving you a range of between 220-268 miles. At home, owners can install a Level 2 charger that will charge to full range in 12 hours, or a Level 1 wall outlet will take about 24 hours to charge.
The Taycan Is Everything You Want in a Luxury Vehicle
This car isn’t for the masses. It’s for those who can afford the life of luxury they want and deserve. Speed, an impeccable interior, top of the line technology, and engineering that will turn heads and have the entire neighborhood envious of the Taycan parked in your driveway. The price point starts at $186,000, but you can’t put a price tag on happiness!
My Favorite Features About This Car
- Porsche Voice Pilot. Speak the words “Hey Porsche” and let the car know you want to do something like start navigation or turn down the air conditioning.
- Features 2.8 cubic feet of front trunk space and 12.9 cubic feet of rear trunk space.
- Panoramic glass roof
- Infotainment is top-notch. It features a 10.9-inch touchscreen center display with menus for navigation, charging information and phone connectivity with an identical screen on the passenger side to allow them to be in control.
- It’s hard to not want to go fast in the Taycan. Thankfully, the heads-up display lets you know your speed and the speed limit all while keeping your eyes on the road.
*Thanks to Porsche for hosting me for this driving experience. All opinions are my own.
