Porsche Debuts The Taycan 4S, Its New 'Entry Level' Electric Car

Porsche announced on Monday the expansion of its electric-vehicle lineup. A month after revealing its Taycan Turbo and Turbo S, Porsche debuted its “entry-level model,” the Taycan 4S.

Taycan 4S pricing starts at $103,800 — a steal compared to the $150,900 Taycan Turbo or $185,000 Turbo S, but far less accessible than other EVs on the market.

Porsche is owned by Volkswagen AG.

How The 4S Compares In The Series

The Taycan 4S comes in a Performance Battery version (79.2 kiloWatts per hour) and a Performance Battery Plus version (93.4 kiloWatts per hour), each of which is less powerful than the original models. The 4S delivers up to 420 kiloWatts (630 horsepower) compared to the Turbo’s 500 kiloWatts and the Turbo S’s 560.

The difference manifests in speed and acceleration. The 4S peaks at 155 miles per hour and can go zero to 60 in 3.8 seconds. The Turbo and Turbo S accelerate in 3 seconds and 2.6 seconds, respectively, and each hit top speeds of 161 miles per hour.

Range is comparable across the series, though, and one 4S actually boasts the longest range. The Performance Battery maxes out at about 253 miles, the Turbo at about 256 miles, the Turbo S at about 280 miles and the Performance Battery Plus at about 288 miles. The 4S imitates its siblings with all-wheel drive, an 800-volt charging system and a 10.9-inch infotainment display.

How The 4S Compares To Rivals

The original Taycan models were made to compete against Tesla’s TSLA Model S, and the latest, “economical” model targets the Model 3.

It seems to fall short of the competition, though. For one, Tesla’s cars — and most other EVs — beat the 4S on price. Tesla’s performance Model 3 also outpaces the 4S in other metrics, with 310 miles of range, top speeds of 162 miles per hour and zero-to-60 acceleration of 3.2 seconds. Even the larger Model Y performance version is competitive, boasting up to 280 miles in range, top speeds of 150 miles per hour and zero-to-60 acceleration of 3.5 seconds.

The 4S may not beat Tesla, but it’s breaking ground as one of the few marketed models that can hang.

What’s Next

Preorders for the 4S open Monday. European deliveries are planned for January 2020, with the U.S. market opening in the spring.

Porsche will unveil its Taycan Cross Turismo — a Model X competitor — by the end of the year. Other models are likely in development, as management announced its intent in 2017 to sell an EV under $100,000.

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Photo courtesy of Porsche.

Posted In: NewsTop StoriesTechMediaelectric vehiclesModel 3Model SporscheTaycanTaycan 4S
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