Porsche and electrified powertrain go back a very long way. The Egger-Lohner C.2 Phaeton of 1898 and Lohner-Porsche Electromobile of 1900 designed by Ferdinand Porsche come to mind, but alas, Porsche also demonstrated that ICE had the upper hand over hybrids and EVs.
Be that as it may, advancements in battery cell technology and stringent emission regulations have forced Porsche’s hand to develop the Taycan. The world’s first EV with an 800-volt system has been selling really well since its grand reveal, and Porsche keeps on advertising the four-door sedan like there’s no tomorrow. On this particular occasion, they used the DeLorean time machine from Back to the Future to make a point or two.
“Not so long ago, harnessing 1.21 gigawatts meant a trip Back to the Future. Today, harnessing 1.21 gigawatts is a little less fraught and a lot more practical” reads the attached release. The Stuttgart-based automaker is referring to the rapidly expanding network of chargers operated by Electrify America and Ionity in the United Kingdom and European Union.
There is, however, a dirty secret Porsche has quietly ignored from the release. More specifically, the Electrify America charging network came to be as part of the settlement between Volkswagen and the U.S. government over the Dieselgate scandal. Ionity, on the other hand, is a joint venture between carmakers that include BMW, Mercedes, and Volkswagen.
All three have been fined over emissions-related issues, which is curious if you step back to take in the full picture. More specifically, greenwashing is the name of the game, as in disinformation disseminated by a company to present an environmentally responsible public image.
I’ve mentioned a second point earlier, so let’s get down to business. “In just 22 minutes, the Taycan can charge from 5 to 80 percent. With Plug-and-Charge – second only to Mr. Fusion for convenience – the user simply plugs in and charging starts automatically.” Not much wow, very unimpressive for anyone who has used Tesla’s Supercharger network.
“Not so long ago, harnessing 1.21 gigawatts meant a trip Back to the Future. Today, harnessing 1.21 gigawatts is a little less fraught and a lot more practical” reads the attached release. The Stuttgart-based automaker is referring to the rapidly expanding network of chargers operated by Electrify America and Ionity in the United Kingdom and European Union.
There is, however, a dirty secret Porsche has quietly ignored from the release. More specifically, the Electrify America charging network came to be as part of the settlement between Volkswagen and the U.S. government over the Dieselgate scandal. Ionity, on the other hand, is a joint venture between carmakers that include BMW, Mercedes, and Volkswagen.
All three have been fined over emissions-related issues, which is curious if you step back to take in the full picture. More specifically, greenwashing is the name of the game, as in disinformation disseminated by a company to present an environmentally responsible public image.
I’ve mentioned a second point earlier, so let’s get down to business. “In just 22 minutes, the Taycan can charge from 5 to 80 percent. With Plug-and-Charge – second only to Mr. Fusion for convenience – the user simply plugs in and charging starts automatically.” Not much wow, very unimpressive for anyone who has used Tesla’s Supercharger network.