Green cars - page 12

Porsche is adding two more variants of the Macan EV to its line-up. Joining the Macan 4 and the Turbo announced back in January 2024, are the base RWD Macan and the 4S, which will fit between the Macan 4 and the top-of-the-line Turbo variant. The entry-level RWD version is powered by a single motor borrowed from its dual-motor siblings mounted over the rear axle. The base version also uses the same capacity battery as the rest of the line-up, a 100 kWh battery of which 95 kWh is usable. This single-motor set produces 335 horsepower and 415 foot-pounds of torque. You can boost the output to 355 briefly using launch control. The base Macan has a top speed of 137 MPH and a 0-60 time of 5.4 seconds. The base Macan is lighter by 242 pounds thanks to only having one motor, this also translates to a WLTP range of up to 398 miles.

The Porsche 911 is one of the most iconic and recognizable and iconic sports cars of all time, and within this decade it will be an EV. However, Porsche has also claimed it will be the last of their models to be electrified. After the Macan EV, the next models to embrace electrification in the next two years will be the Boxster and the Cayman. The German brand is doubling down on its commitment to the electrified future, as evident with the discontinuation of several ICE models in Europe, including the Macan, Boxster, and Cayman. According to Porsche CEO Oliver Blume, the brand already has received 10,000 orders for the Macan EV which will be released in the second half of 2024.

Believe it or not, the all-electric Taycan Turbo GT holds the prodigious title of the "most powerful road-going Porsche ever". This 4-door road missile combines a 1019 horsepower powertrain with sharp handling, giving it an edge over its EV competition. When optioned with the Weissach package, the Taycan Turbo GT can hit 0-60 MPH in 2.3 seconds and achieve a top speed of 190 MPH. All that power from the Taycan’s dual motors is channeled through a 2-speed direct-drive transmission to all four wheels. The GT4 RS is a track fiend with the same engine that powers the 911 GT3, albeit detuned a little to make 493 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of Torque. Interestingly the same engine produces 502 horsepower and 346 pound-feet of Torque in the 911 GT3. This flat-six engine sits in the middle of the car and directs all its power through a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission to the rear wheels.

Porsche is a sports car manufacturer first and foremost, but times have changed, and in order to stay in business, many high-end car companies need to adapt. Like other carmakers, Porsche eventually branched out into other segments, including four-door sedans. In fact, the automaker’s has been toying with the idea of a four-door model since the 1950s, but so far, Porsche has only two sedan models on offer, with a possible, third one on the way.

Porsche, a name that you usually associate with high-performance gasoline engines, surprised the automotive world when it entered the hybrid market back in the late 2010s. But the German automaker didn’t just introduce a new technology; they also subsequently introduced a new color – acid green (PTS Color Code: 2M8), which is now synonymous with plug-in hybrid Porsches. In this article, we’ll dive deep into this vivid shade and how this bold choice became a key element in establishing Porsche’s unique identity in the hybrid space.

The Porsche Mission E unveiled in 2015 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, was a futuristic concept car that was a showcase of an electric future for the German automaker. Four years later in 2019, that future arrived in production form with the Porsche Taycan EV. While it retained the essence of the Mission E concept in profile, it incorporated more practical considerations for the real world which we’ll touch upon in a bit. However, if you are an ardent fan of the concept and some of its distinctive design elements and wish to recreate the Mission E aesthetic on the Taycan, it certainly is possible. We’ve spent several hours on Porsche’s configurator going between several exterior and interior options and have listed out the ones that you need to tick, to get that much desired Mission E look..

Many electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) offer one-pedal driving. However, Porsche does not offer this feature in its EVs. This feature essentially lets you control your acceleration and braking with just the accelerator pedal. Unlike gas-powered cars that coast without power when you lift your foot off the throttle, Electric cars and PHEVs can achieve one-pedal driving thanks to regenerative braking. This system utilizes the electric motor as a generator during braking. As the car slows down, the motor captures the kinetic energy (energy of motion) and converts it back into electricity, topping up the battery and extending your driving range.

The 2020 Porsche Taycan isn’t just a pretty face (and it is a very pretty face). This electric marvel delivers mind-blowing acceleration, sharp handling that will leave you grinning, and a head-turning design that commands attention. But the magic truly lies beneath the sleek exterior. The Taycan boasts several engineering firsts for electric vehicles. It’s the only production EV to sport a two-speed transmission, translating into neck-snapping bursts of speed when you push the pedal.

The launch of the Porsche Taycan in 2019, was a pivotal moment in the brand’s history. It quickly became a sales success, exceeding 40,000 units delivered globally in both 2023 and 2022. This achievement positioned the Taycan as a significant player in the burgeoning luxury EV market, challenging established brands and inspiring others to step up their electric game. However, the Taycan’s significance goes beyond sales figures. It catalyzed Porsche’s electrification journey, paving the way for future electric models and demonstrating the brand’s commitment to a sustainable future. It isn’t just a luxury electric vehicle (EV) but is one that represents a statement from a legacy automaker that electric performance was here to stay.

Imagine looking over from your hotel room bed and seeing your car parked on your balcony. This is exactly the unique experience the B’mine Hotel in Frankfurt, Germany offers you. YouTuber Kyle Connor, owner of the Out Of Spec YouTube Channel recently had the opportunity to review the new Taycan Sport Turismo in Germany, and in his latest video, he got to stay at the B’mine Hotel. He walks us through the experience of staying in this extraordinary space and how much a night costs. Before he gets to the hotel we also get to see the blistering performance of the Taycan facelift as he drives the car from Würzburg to Frankfurt on the infamous German Autobahn. The renewed Taycan Sport Turismo rockets to 60 MPH in under 5.0 seconds thanks to its electric powertrain options, ranging from 408 horsepower to 571 horsepower. But crucially, driving range is up to 435 miles from 208 miles.

Believe it or not, but hybrids have been with us since 1899 when Ferdinand Porsche and Ludwig Lohner built the Semper Vivus. After 125 years, we have plenty of hybrid vehicles on the market today, starting from the Toyota Prius to ultra-high-performance supercars like the Ferrari SF90 and the Lamborghini Revuelto.

In the race towards electrification, Porsche and Audi offer powerful contenders - the Porsche Taycan Turbo S and the Audi RS e-tron GT. Both manufacturers are rewriting the EV market’s performance, style, and innovation rules with these stunning machines.