It was one of those cloud-speckled afternoons in the Richelsdorf Hills where the road writhes like a ribbon of silk over the mossy ridges, and even the wind seems to lean in, curious. Into this living canvas rolled the updated 2024 Porsche Taycan, silently, confidently, dressed in understated Arctic Grey, casting long shadows on winding country asphalt. We had the base model with the new Performance Battery Plus. Nothing extraordinary on paper compared to the Teslas and Lucids out there, until you start driving. This wasn’t a blog test. This was a pilgrimage. This was road and machine in direct conversation.
Porsche Taycan Driving Experience
At a standstill, the Taycan hums like a coiled spring. The bodywork feels sculpted rather than built, hugging the ground with intent. Inside, Porsche’s promise of luxury meets tech abstraction: expansive screens, precision build quality, and silence, except for the faint whir of the HVAC and that signature Porsche whine when you start rolling.
What struck me immediately was the poise. The Richelsdorf Hills are no autobahn, tight hairpins, off-camber sweepers, frost-torn straights. Yet the Taycan filtered the road with dignity. The air suspension gobbled up cobblestones and ripples like they weren’t there. Steering feel? Laser-guided. Porsche’s DNA is intact, responsive, predictable, eager.
Despite the Taycan’s 2.2-ton heft, it never once felt bulky. Rear-wheel drive only in our case, but you wouldn’t miss all-wheel unless it snowed. The back subtly squats under throttle, and when you turn in, it dives with surgical intent. Even during multiple direction changes, the body control remained…Porsche. It just knows how to pivot.
And the punch? Oh, the punch. With 435 hp and 420 Nm, the base Taycan doesn’t shout its speed, it launches it through you. Highway overtakes become blink-and-gone moments. There’s nothing synthetic about it, just torque, instant and linear, delivered like a scalpel to the spine.
Taycan New Long-Distance King
What really changed everything, though, was the new battery. The moment you see a 97 kWh net capacity and a WLTP range of 680 kilometers, you realize this isn’t just a performance EV, it’s a proper tourer.
We started from Bad Hersfeld early morning, climbed through Cornberg, and looped around to Sontra and the Meißner highlands before descending into the thick-forested curls of the Richelsdorf Ridge. No range anxiety. The Taycan’s consumption held at just under 20 kWh/100 km. Even after spirited mountain driving, we rolled into Berka with 230 kilometers of range left.
Fast charging is a revelation. We pulled into a 320 kW HPC charger mid-route. Within 18 minutes, we had gone from 15% to over 80% SOC. You watch the percentage tick like a stopwatch, unreal. The battery’s new chemistry and thermal management allow it to hold 296 kW charging up to 70% SOC. That means fewer stops and shorter breaks. A car built for Europe’s distances finally drives like it.
Up to 760 kW Electric Power
Not that you need more than our base model, but if you do… Porsche’s engineers have lost their minds in the best way possible. You can spec the Taycan now up to 760 kW. That’s 1033 hp, which is Bugatti territory but electric, instant, and entirely street-legal.
It starts with the 4S at 400 kW, then moves up to the Turbo at 650 kW, Turbo S at 700, and finally the Turbo GT with 760 kW. The latter does 0-100 km/h in 2.4 seconds. That’s not acceleration; that’s time travel.
But even the 320 kW version never felt lacking on our mountain pass. It has enough muscle to flatten inclines and enough finesse to make each corner dance.
Sport Turismo and Cross Turismo Station Wagons
If the Taycan sedan is the scalpel, then the Sport Turismo and Cross Turismo are the Swiss Army knives. The Sport Turismo is an estate in the finest sense, lower, leaner, a long-roof silhouette that begs for a road trip. We poked our heads into one at a dealership in Fulda and were stunned by the practicality: up to 1212 liters of storage with the seats down. A Taycan that carries IKEA and can lap Hockenheim? Yes, please.
The Cross Turismo is for the gravel road romantics. Slightly lifted, clad in protective cladding, and equipped with a “Gravel” drive mode, it’s the Taycan you take into Bavaria’s forgotten B-roads or to the last mile of your alpine cabin. With AWD and off-road-readiness, it doesn’t just cosplay adventure, it delivers.
“Push to Pass” Button for Overtaking
Yes, it exists. A literal “Push to Pass” button on the steering wheel. Ten seconds of power boost. We tested it on a steep overtake near Nentershausen, a slow camper van, narrow road, 80 km/h speed limit. Button pushed. The Taycan surged forward like a greyhound after a lure. In seconds, we were ahead, safely back in our lane, lungs half full with adrenaline. It’s Formula E tech made road-ready, and it works.
But it’s not just a party trick. It’s assurance. When you’re touring, overtaking becomes an act of precision, and Porsche hands you the tool to do it cleanly, confidently, and damn fast.
Technical Specification
All tech info comes right from Porsche’s official site so it’s accurate and trustworthy.
| Feature | Details |
| Model | Porsche Taycan Performance Battery Plus (2024) |
| Drive Type | Rear-wheel drive |
| System Power (kW / HP) | 320 kW / 435 HP |
| Torque | 420 Nm |
| 0-100 km/h Acceleration | 4.8 seconds |
| Top Speed | 230 km/h |
| Battery Capacity (Gross/Net) | 105 kWh / 97 kWh |
| Charging Power (AC/DC) | AC: 11–22 kW / DC: 150–320 kW |
| Range (WLTP) | 680 km |
| Consumption (WLTP) | 17.0 kWh/100 km |
| Trunk Volume | 407 liters |
| Weight (EU) | 2,245 kg |
| Payload | 550 kg |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 4963 x 1966 x 1379 mm |
| Base Price (Germany) | €108,324 |
| Warranty | 2 years (vehicle), 8 years / 160,000 km (battery) |
Conclusion
Porsche hasn’t reinvented the Taycan, they’ve perfected it. The 2024 update doesn’t just polish edges; it reshapes what a grand touring EV can be. The range is real. The charging is revolutionary. The drive? Still distinctly Porsche, blending emotion with precision.
And through the Richelsdorf Hills, it wasn’t the horsepower that left us breathless, it was the balance. The feeling of cohesion. A car so clearly engineered not just to impress journalists, but to delight drivers.
In an EV world where numbers have become noise, the Taycan speaks with feeling.
How long does it take to fully charge the Taycan from 0 to 100%?
Using a 320 kW fast charger, you can reach 80% in about 18–20 minutes. A full charge at a slower AC wallbox (11 kW) will take around 9 hours.
Is the base model powerful enough, or should I go for a higher trim?
Unless you need AWD or 0–100 km/h under 3 seconds, the base model is more than sufficient. It still drives like a Porsche and has ample power for spirited road trips.
Can I take the Taycan Cross Turismo off-road?
Light off-road, yes. With its height-adjustable suspension, “Gravel” mode, and AWD, it’s ideal for rough tracks, campsites, or snow-covered roads, not hardcore trails.
