- Porsche is increasing production of its upcoming Taycan electric vehicle due to high demand, the automaker said on Friday.
- Over 20,000 people have made a reservation of around $2,800 for the vehicle, Porsche said, which will arrive by the end of 2019.
- Porsche had previously planned to make 20,000 Taycan vehicles per year.
- A Porsche representative declined to specify the amount by which annual production will increase.
Porsche is increasing production of its upcoming Taycan electric vehicle due to high demand, the automaker said on Friday.
Over 20,000 people have made a reservation of around $2,800 for the vehicle, Porsche said, which will arrive by the end of 2019. Porsche had previously planned to make 20,000 Taycan vehicles per year. A Porsche representative declined to specify the amount by which annual production will increase.
"The overwhelming interest in the Taycan shows us that our customers and fans are just as excited about the first Porsche electric athlete as we are — and we’ve therefore increased our production capacities," Detlev von Platen, Porsche’s head of sales, said in a statement.
Porsche has said the Taycan will have a range of over 300 miles, produce over 600 horsepower, and accelerate from 0-60 mph in under 3.5 seconds. The vehicle will be able to receive over 60 miles of range from a 4-minute charge, Porsche had said. The Taycan is expected to start around $90,000, according to The Drive.
The Taycan will compete against Tesla’s Model S sedan. Between its two premium trims, the Model S has a maximum range of 335 miles and can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 2.4 seconds.
In 2018, Porsche’s head of electric vehicles, Stefan Weckbach, said the Taycan will be able to sustain its performance better than the Model S. The Taycan "will offer reproducible performance and a top speed which can be maintained for long periods," he said.
Weckbach also hinted at driver-assistance features, like the ability to autonomously park or stop and start in traffic. The vehicle is expected to have other high-tech features, like a digital instrument panel that mirrors the driver’s movements and a dashboard that drivers can control with gestures through a holographic display.
See Also:
- Tesla is reportedly sending hourly employees home early and asking them to take time off as the company cuts costs
- Tesla has reportedly laid off about 8% of its employees since the end of February
- Tesla has reportedly not decided where it will build the Model Y SUV
Source: Business Insider – mmatousek@businessinsider.com (Mark Matousek)