Here’s Why The Porsche Taycan Will Overtake The 911 As The Brand’s Halo Car

Porsche has already committing to doubling its production

By
Zach Butler
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Porsche Taycan
  • Porsche has gotten more than 30,000 pre-orders for the Taycan, according to recent reports.
  • The company said earlier this year it would double its originally planned production capacity to meet demand.
  • Most recently, Porsche sold just over 35,000 examples of the 911 worldwide, according to reports.

The Taycan is already one of Porsche’s most popular models.

Yes, the all-new, all-electric Porsche Taycan is not on sale yet — that will likely happen early next year. Despite that, the car is already on track to become one of Porsche’s best-selling models, according to the pre-order figures. A few weeks before its official unveiling in September, nearly 30,000 interested buyers have already put down deposits on a Porsche Taycan, according to a Bloomberg report. Evercore ISI analyst Arndt Ellinghorst said that sort of response supports a push to boost production to 40,000 examples each year.

The Taycan was spotted testing earlier this year.

At first, Porsche aimed to build 20,000 Taycans annually on a two-shift system. That said, production head Albrecht Reimold said that could be expanded if necessary. Earlier this year, Porsche told CNBC it would actually double its production to take on the likes of Tesla’s Model S. Porsche has already recruited about 1,000 new employees out of the 1,500 it’s seeking to build the Taycan.

On sales, at least, the Porsche Taycan could overtake the Porsche 911 just as it starts production. [Photo: Porsche]

Already outpacing the 911?

Here’s the thing: The Porsche 911 has been the halo of its brand for the past half-century. However, with around 35,600 global sales last year, the Taycan may overtake its combustion engine ancestor to define the brand’s direction in a new era of electric models.

To drive its pre-orders, Porsche followed Tesla’s style by opening with a 2,500 euro deposit. Volkswagen Group’s plan to install fast chargers both at Porsche dealerships and through its Electrify America arm will widen the Taycan’s appeal to customers, much like Tesla’s cars and its Supercharger network. The fast chargers at Porsche dealerships will reportedly provide enough juice to drive 100 kilometers (62 miles) in about four minutes.

Porsche pegs the total driving range for the upcoming Taycan at 500 kilometers, or 310 miles.

The Porsche Taycan is one of the cars we’re seriously looking forward to driving next year. Check out which others we’re excited to drive below:

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