Entry-Level 2021 Porsche Taycan Official EPA Ratings Revealed
Porsche wasn't happy with the EPA when it released the EPA driving range estimates for the Taycan electric vehicle models on the market already. Having expected much higher driving ranges than what the EPA officially gave the vehicles, the automaker's individual testing showed the car drove much further than the US regulator had said. Now, the official EPA numbers are out for the base model 2021 Taycan, and Porsche was already standing by with counter numbers of its own.
The EPA estimates that the basic Taycan with the standard battery pack of 79.2 kWh will drive 200 miles on a charge. Adding the Performance Battery Plus option drops in a 93.4 kWh battery pack, for a driving range of 225 miles. Interestingly, the entry-level Taycan has a driving range only two miles less than that of the significantly more expensive Taycan 4S, when fitted with its larger optional battery pack.
For comparison, the Taycan Turbo base version will go 212 miles per charge, while the Turbo S 201 miles. Again, it's worth noting that all versions of the Taycan have exceeded the EPA estimates significantly in testing. Porsche was so unhappy with the EPA, in fact, that it had AMCI independently test all Taycan EVs. It discovered that the electric car could drive much further than the EPA claimed, on tests it argues are more relevant to how actual drivers use their EVs.
It's unclear why exactly the EPA estimates underestimate the driving range so drastically. According to the AMCI, the base Taycan is good for 252 miles per charge, with the Performance Battery Plus version pushing that up to 282 miles. It's worth noting that the driving range always depends on weather conditions and how heavy your right foot is, but they're still considerable differences from how the EPA will be rating – and ranking – the luxury car.
The cheapest Taycan model starts at $81,250, and is still eligible for the $7,500 US federal tax credit. The optional larger battery pack increases the price by $5,780, meanwhile. Entry-level Taycan EV's are available to order now, Porsche says, and will arrive in dealerships in the spring.