New and Used Porsche Taycans Are Becoming Cheaper, but Should You Buy One?

If there's one thing Tesla skimped out on, it is overall build quality. It didn't insist on putting everything tight together, using the best cabin materials, fitting every panel nicely, developing an excellent suspension system that can considerably improve ride feel, or making sure that the alignment is fine so tires wouldn't need to be replaced often.

At the same time, another issue more and more Tesla owners experience is high insurance premiums because providers are getting tired of having to total slightly damaged cars.

On the other hand, what other automaker builds vehicles that are battery-electric from the ground up? The few startups that followed after Tesla broke the tight world of the conservative automotive industry, like Rivian or Lucid, are still in their early days. Although showing a lot of promise, Tesla is the only one offering EVs that hold the promise of becoming genuinely mainstream. The Model Y might finish 2023 as the world's best-selling car.

However, established auto brands with tens of years of experience in this complicated industry are slowly catching up, and they are not playing any games. They're out to get Tesla. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and even Ford want to stop Elon Musk's company before it's too late. They have already lost the port battle by adopting the NACS and are also way behind the curve when it comes to the high-power charging infrastructure.

Homegrown brands like Chevy or Cadillac are also in the midst of releasing great EVs that should make a long-lasting impression. Just look at the Celestiq. That thing is a beast! General Motors might be on the offense as we speak, given that it has reached a deal with the UAW after over one month and a half of striking.

Stuttgart's flexing its electric muscles

But here's the kicker: the Germans make better zero-emission vehicles. It's not my subjective take, but it's a fact that many noticed. Look at the EQS SUV or the iX. They might not have a great range, but the quality of everything the driver and passengers touch cannot compare with what Tesla currently offers.

But I digress. Let's focus on the Model S vs. Porsche Taycan debacle because it's unfair to focus on the latter's price evolution without looking at the former's value proposition.

The cheapest new Taycan available when writing is the single-motor rear-wheel-drive version that puts out 321 hp of continuous power and 402 hp and 254 lb-ft of torque when the Overboost feature is turned on. It comes as standard with a 79.2-kWh energy storage unit, which enables an EPA-estimated range of 208 miles.

No matter how anyone looks at it, that's not enough. In most real-world scenarios, the usable range will be less. All that comes at an MSRP of $90,900 sans freight. For $5,780 more, the battery size can increase to 93.4 kWh, enabling a range of 282 miles.

The most expensive Taycan money can buy today (that's similar to the Model S) is the all-wheel-drive Taycan Turbo S. This one develops 616 hp all the time and 750 hp and 774 lb-ft of torque when the driver presses the Overboost button. This top-of-the-line unit also comes with the larger battery as standard. However, given that the two motors often work overtime, the range is 222 miles per the EPA. It has a pre-tax cost of $194,900.

To help Taycan customers get used to fast charging, Porsche offers three years of 30-minute free battery replenishing sessions at Electrify America stations. Plug in, take advantage of the 800V architecture that enables charge speeds of up to 350 kW, and continue with your journey!

Sadly, in this day and age, 750 hp for so much money doesn't feel like much. Fortunately, there's a rumored Turbo GT version with about 1,000 hp on tap in the works. It might debut when the facelifted Taycan gets introduced to the real world.

We'll see if it comes with a larger battery, more efficient motors, or improved aerodynamics. Otherwise, the range might continue to feel insufficient for people living in places where the weather isn't very friendly.

Texas (and California?) answer

On the other hand, Tesla is keeping things more straightforward with its seemingly posh sedan. There are two all-wheel-drive versions available: the dual-motor Model S and the tri-motor Model S Plaid. The former costs $74,990, while the latter adds $15,000 to its sibling's price. Both use the same 100-kWh energy storage unit.

Since Tesla is dealing with some accusations regarding exaggerated range figures, we need to check the official EPA figures. The data reveals that the 2022 Model S gets 405 miles out of a single charge, while the high-performance unit has 396 miles of zero-emission go in it.

The now Texas-based EV maker doesn't like to talk about horsepower because it oscillates depending on factors like the state of charge. Still, it'll tell you that the mighty impressive Model S Plaid can make use of 1,020 horsepower to go from zero to 60 mph in 2 seconds. The dual-motor sedan pumps out over 650 horsepower per most publicly available estimates.

Besides a larger battery, more power, and one extra motor on the Plaid unit, the Model S also benefits from having easy access to the Supercharger network. When Tesla owners can't charge at home, at work, or their hotel of choice, Supercharging is their trusty backup.

Tesla also has another thing going for it – the direct sales model. You don't have to haggle, agree to extras, spend too much time on the phone with a salesperson, or feel cornered by all kinds of weird propositions like with whom to finance.

Fighting back with discounts

Porsche and some of its dealers are getting ready for the facelift to come out because some deals have started popping up online. Brand-new Taycan Turbo units, for example, are offered at $20,000 off MSRP in Beverly Hills. The fact that there's no markup any longer is a win and surprising. But selling below MSRP?! Well, that's new!

But things start looking even better when you go online to look for used units and figure out that some lesser Taycan models, like the entry-level unit or the 4S, are now priced at around $65,000 or less! Owning such a machine starts to feel more appropriate at this point.

However, the market is also flooded with used Teslas. A ton of pre-2016 EVs are available at less than $25,000, making them eligible for the used EV tax credit. Someone in need of a cheap commuting appliance can safely consider such an example.

But as we move closer to the value of a used Taycan, we see one-owner Model S sedans with a 100-kWh battery pack and a price of approximately $43,000. That feels like a steal as long as the energy storage unit is in good condition and the CarFax is clean.

It gets harder and harder to seriously consider the Taycan as my or your first or next EV.

Maybe the Mercedes-Benz EQS and its 108.4-kWh battery enabling an EPA-estimated range of 350 miles could also be considered a possible buy. But you need serious finances to stomach the $104,400 starting price for the rear-wheel-drive 450+ version.

Thus, unless you're a hardcore Porsche fan and can't see anything else parked in your driveway, the Tesla Model S is the obvious option. It's just the better car, be it brand-new, certified pre-owned, or used. Some nicer cabin materials and a two-speed gearbox do not justify spending more to get the CCS Combo 1-equipped Taycan.

I'm sorry, Porsche. But that's the truth.