Porsche has announced the production of its 100,000th vehicle of the Taycan, its first all-electric sports car.
Since its initial production began in September 2019 at the Zuffenhausen factory, the Taycan has achieved this historic milestone of 100,000 units in just about three years. Kevin Giek, Vice President of the Taycan product line, expressed, “I am pleased that we have achieved the milestone of producing 100,000 units at such a rapid pace despite the recent challenges of semiconductor shortages and the spread of COVID-19. Porsche has successfully entered the era of electrification with the Taycan,” he stated.
The Taycan has recorded the highest demand in three distinct markets: the USA, China, and the UK/Ireland. Offering three body styles—sport sedan, Cross Turismo, and Sport Turismo—the Taycan presents five engine options with all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive models. The current Taycan 4S boasts a WLTP range of 513 km (289 km based on domestic certification), and the Taycan Turbo S has claimed the title of the fastest electric production car with a remarkable record of 7 minutes and 33 seconds at the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
Beyond the vehicle itself, the Taycan sets new standards in sustainability and digitization through advanced production methods. Porsche has established a high-tech manufacturing facility in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, characterized by innovative technologies and processes. Thanks to ‘machine learning’ AI used in electric powertrain production, the camera system allows for a significantly more precise quality assessment compared to previous non-AI monitoring systems during drive number stamping and gearbox pre-assembly.
This process reduces the need for subsequent inspections, enhancing production efficiency. Notable in resource conservation processes and technology is energy recovery via robotics. Similar to the Taycan, kinetic energy from braking is converted into electrical energy, stored through high-performance capacitors, and when robots increase production speed, this recovered energy is reused.
Albrecht Reimold, Executive Vice President of Production and Logistics at Porsche AG, emphasized, “The Taycan is innovative not only in the product but also in the production process.” He added, “Since the initial production in 2019, Porsche has manufactured the Taycan in a fully carbon-neutral manner, and this approach will also apply to all sports car production at the Zuffenhausen and Leipzig plants henceforth. This is an important step toward our vision of a ‘Zero Impact Factory,’ and for Porsche, sustainable production means being Smart, Green, and Lean.”
Porsche Korea has been continuously loved by domestic customers since the launch of the Taycan 4S in November 2020, followed by the Taycan Turbo S, Taycan Turbo, Taycan Base Model, and this year the Taycan GTS. The company further expanded its electrified product portfolio by introducing its first CUV and second all-electric vehicle, the Taycan Cross Turismo, last year.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr