On the evening of March 4th Beijing time, the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo made its global debut as the first pure electric crossover multi-purpose vehicle under Porsche and also the first CUV model in the field of pure electric vehicles. In fact, as early as the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, the prototype concept car of Taycan Cross Turismo had been unveiled. However, after such a long time, there is still no qualified competitor for it.
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We might be able to see SUV models as big as NIO ES8 and Tesla Model X in the pure electric vehicle camp, but these two models are already quite “strange”. This is because six or seven-seat models mean increased weight and cost, while reducing the range and narrowing the target audience.
It goes without saying about the positioning of Taycan Cross Turismo. What we want to know is, why did Porsche launch another pure electric crossover multi-purpose vehicle after Taycan and what does Taycan Cross Turismo mean for Porsche?
Let’s first take a look at the product
After watching tonight’s press conference, the biggest impression that I came away with is to never view Porsche’s pure electric vehicles with the same mentality as ordinary electric cars.
Compared with Taycan, the headroom in the rear seat of Taycan Cross Turismo has increased by 47mm, and the maximum trunk volume exceeds 1200L (with the second-row seats folded down), making it more versatile and practical.
On the other hand, the 93.4 kWh high-performance battery upgrade, four-wheel drive, and adaptive air suspension that need to be chosen as options for Taycan are all standard on Taycan Cross Turismo. This means that even if you choose the entry-level 4 Cross Turismo, you can still get more “affordable” range and driving experience than Taycan.
However, if we compare the Turbo S models of the two cars, Taycan, which is positioned as a pure electric four-door sports car, is naturally superior. After all, its ultra-low drag coefficient of 0.22Cd is even lower than that of Tesla Model 3. With identical layout of front and rear dual motors and battery specifications, Taycan Cross Turismo’s drag coefficient of 0.26Cd is indeed slightly inferior.
After all, there is never a perfect product, only the most suitable one for you.If you want to go to places that are not easily accessible, Taycan Cross Turismo will definitely make you ignore the minor parameter deviations and become the best choice.
Before the official release of Taycan Cross Turismo, it has driven over 998,361 kilometers in challenging environments around the world, including Nürburgring in Germany, the southern town of Nardo in Italy, the south of France, and the Pyrenees mountains. This is enough to fly around the earth more than 25 times. Therefore, you can fully trust the off-road capability of Taycan Cross Turismo.
It is worth mentioning that Porsche has also developed a Gravel Mode specifically for Taycan Cross Turismo to deal with sandy and muddy road conditions. In this mode, with the optional Off-Road Design component, the maximum ground clearance of the vehicle can be increased by 30mm. At the same time, with the intervention of the Porsche traction management system, the driver can get the most efficient driving experience.
Finally, in terms of design, Taycan Cross Turismo basically continues the family design style of Taycan. You can still see the beautiful “fly line” design and classic four-point LED daytime running lights. At the same time, you can also see personalized off-road style design elements, such as wheel arch trims, unique front and rear lower skirts, and even special protective plates matched with the Off-Road Design component, all of which are extremely eye-catching.
Even compared to the classic Panamera GTS Sport Turismo in the Porsche family, the pure electric vehicle’s unique vehicle layout makes the design concept of Taycan Cross Turismo with long wheelbase, short front overhang, and long rear overhang visually superior to the former.
There is a feeling that it’s hard to say what’s good, but it’s just amazing.
Redefining the Use of Pure Electric VehiclesIf Taycan redefined the four opposite values of tradition and innovation, practicality and high performance, design and functionality, and individualization and social identity, then Taycan Cross Turismo aims to redefine Taycan.
You have to admit that one day, charging will be more convenient than refueling, charging networks will be more widely distributed than gas stations, and that day is not far away. So when that day really comes, Porsche wants to redefine the purpose of electric vehicles, not just for city commuting, but to allow more people to go to hard-to-reach places and to enjoy life.
At the launch event, Porsche also introduced two new electric bicycles, the eBike Sport and eBike Cross, both of which have carbon fiber frames and new powerful Shimano motors. It is worth mentioning that the carbon fiber frames of both models are influenced by Taycan’s elegant roofline design, which embodies Porsche’s timeless design philosophy.
In addition, Porsche decided to develop their own bike rack since they couldn’t find a suitable supplier. This is not the first time that the automaker has done this, as they have even developed baby car seats on their own. At the same time, Porsche’s innovation is constantly evolving, as can be seen from Taycan’s unique sliding charging port cover design.
The two-bike rack specifically designed for Taycan Cross Turismo sets a benchmark for durability and practicality. Firstly, it is made of weight-optimized hybrid materials and only weighs 25 kg, but has a load capacity of over 50 kg. In addition, the bike rack is compatible with other bike brands and can still open the trunk even when fully loaded.
Perhaps it is more appropriate to say that Taycan Cross Turismo redefines the joyous capabilities of electric cars, rather than redefining the purpose of electric vehicles.The arrival of Taycan Cross Turismo has set a benchmark, telling the upcoming competitors that to achieve the same level, they need to cross the sustainable high-performance and 800V fast charging system established by Taycan.
Prelude to Electrification
In the past year, Porsche has delivered more than 20,000 Taycan electric four-door sports cars to customers worldwide. One-third of all vehicles delivered in Europe used electric powertrains. By 2025, Porsche plans to raise this proportion to half.
Oliver Blume, CEO of Porsche, once publicly stated that “with Taycan Cross Turismo, we have taken another important step in this direction.” It can be seen that Porsche’s expectations for Taycan Cross Turismo outweigh those for Taycan.
Looking back, Taycan had already received more than 30,000 orders before it was launched, attracting many potential customers who had planned to buy a Tesla Model S. Today, with Tesla’s sales approaching 500,000, the previous high-end image has disappeared. For those who want to lead the pure electric era, Taycan Cross Turismo is undoubtedly a better choice.
Next, the pure electric Macan is already on the schedule, and even the Cayman and Boxter are undergoing development of their pure electric versions. As Porsche’s classic series become electrified in a systematic way, there will be many interesting things happening in the future pure electric car market.
However, the only certain thing is that even if the era of electric vehicles changes drastically, Porsche is still Porsche, unique and incomparable.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.