Preorders for the all-electric Porsche Taycan are looking strong.
The German automaker had predicted it would sell around 20,000 examples of its highly anticipated electric four-door in its first year of sales. It built a dedicated paintshop and assembly line for the Taycan at its Zuffenhausen factory in Germany in anticipation of the high demand, but has now had to increase the plant’s production capacity even further.
“So far, the annual production capacity is 20,000 vehicles,” Porsche CEO Oliver Blume told German business magazine Wirtschaftswoche in an interview. “However, due to the positive response, we will adjust this number upwards.”
Demand isn’t the only reason Porsche is having to up the production capacity of Zuffenhausen. The automaker recently received the green light to put the Mission E Cross Turismo Concept into production – a high-riding, wagon version of the Taycan with more ground clearance and additional cargo capacity.
The Cross Turismo is being referred to as the “first variant” of the Porsche Taycan series, which means that more model variants are likely on the way. One rumored Taycan variant is a targa model with a removable roof. It will allegedly be built in the same Zuffenhausen plant as the Taycan sedan and Cross Turismo. Porsche is said to be plotting an electric SUV as well, which should arrive within the next four years.
SEE ALSO: Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo Headed to Production
The production Porsche Taycan is expected to make more than 600 hp from its two electric motors, which will propel it from 0-60 mph in under 3.5s. Porsche has also developed an 800V fast charging system for the vehicle, which will allegedly be able to charge the 96 kWh lithium ion battery pack to around 250 miles of range in 15 minutes.
Audi is also working on its own electric four-door that will use the Taycan’s electric platform and other components, such as its electric motors 96 kWh lithium ion battery pack. The electric Audi sedan was previewed by the E-Tron GT concept shown at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show last week.
[Source: Wirtschaftswoche via Motor Trend]
From AutoGuide.com