Also called the ‘Green Hell’, till date, the 20.6-kilometre long Nürburgring-Nordschleife is considered the highest test for fast cars to prove their mettle. Some get there to simply post a time, while some create records which they proudly associate with. And pride there must be because the old-school track leaves no room for mistakes, and just one is enough to make things go south. The latest vehicle to post a new record around ‘The Ring’ is the all-electric sports car, Porsche Taycan. The Taycan is the first production vehicle with a system voltage of 800 volts rather than the usual 400 volts for electric cars. The benefits include high levels of consistent performance.
Sitting behind the wheel of a pre-series Taycan, test driver Lars Kern conquered the legendary track in seven minutes and 42 seconds. Earlier, in 24 hours, the Taycan covered a distance of exactly 3,425 kilometres as part of a test at the Nardò (Italy) high-speed track. In sizzling temperatures at the southern Italian test track, the speed was between 195 and 215 km/h. The test was completed without interruptions, as the prototype only had to pause for quick charging stops and driver changes. A pre-series Taycan also showcased the model’s reliable performance by accelerating from zero to 200 km/h 26 successive times down an airport runway. The average acceleration figure from the timed runs was under ten seconds. The difference between the fastest and slowest acceleration runs was 0.8 seconds.
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The Porsche Taycan is powered by two efficient electric motors on the front and rear axles and therefore features all-wheel drive. Paired with a traction control system, both operate significantly faster than conventional systems. For example, if one wheel has more slip, the electric motors regulate it within a fraction of a second. The car is equipped with integrated Porsche 4D-Chassis Control, which analyses and synchronises all chassis systems in real-time.
The innovative systems include adaptive air suspension with three-chamber technology, including electronic damper control PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management), as well as the Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control Sport (PDCC Sport), electromechanical roll stabilisation system, including Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus). The record-breaking car also featured rear-axle steering and 21-inch tyres.
Unlike ICE-powered Porsches, the driving modes profile of the new Taycan offers special settings to make full use of the all-electric drive properties. In the “Sport Plus” mode, driver requests are implemented in an extremely dynamic way. As a result, the battery’s cooling and heating strategy has been designed for maximum performance. At the same time, the cooling air flaps are opened, the rear spoiler is extended early on for minimal lift, while the chassis set-up becomes optimised for maximum race track performance, and the suspension permanently set in the lowest position.