Porsche Taycan 4S is $47K cheaper than a Turbo but gets similar EPA range
Porsche's entry-level Taycan has a 203-mile EPA range rating, but if our testing is any indication, that number is likely quite conservative.
The Porsche Taycan EV is a fantastic car. We're big fans here at Roadshow, and the Taycan was recently named Performance Car of the Year and Luxury Car of the Year in the 2020 World Car Awards. Unfortunately, however, a lot of the Taycan's biggest headlines have centered around its less-than-stellar EPA range estimates. None of that appears to change with the US arrival of the new Taycan 4S, either. Porsche on Friday officially confirmed its entry-level Taycan carries a relatively dismal 203-mile range estimate -- just two more miles than the Turbo.
That said, the 2020 Taycan 4S is a substantially more affordable proposition than its Turbo and Turbo S siblings. Porsche says the 4S will cost $106,410 at initial launch, but will soon decrease to an MSRP of $103,800. (The automaker did this same cheaper-if-you-wait thing with the Turbo and Turbo S.) That makes it a full $47,100 less expensive than the Taycan Turbo, and a whopping $81,200 cheaper than the Turbo S.
As for that less-than-stellar EPA range estimate, consider this: When we independently tested a 2020 Taycan Turbo earlier this year, we were easily able to beat its 201-mile rating without any sort of hypermiling or battery-saving measures. With cruising speeds varying between 77 and 82 mph, and with the climate control on its auto setting, we saw estimated ranges of anywhere between 238 and 257 miles on a full charge.
Even so, it's worth noting that the EPA estimates a similarly sized Tesla Model S can go anywhere between 287 and 373 miles on a single charge, depending on model. The Tesla also has starting prices ranging from $79,990 to $99,990.
The Porsche Taycan 4S is powered by either a 79-kilowatt-hour battery in its base form or a 93-kWh battery with the Performance Battery Plus option (a $5,570 upcharge). The standard variant produces 429 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque, with as much as 522 hp available with launch control, while the PBP option ups those numbers to 482 hp (563 hp for launch control) and 479 lb-ft.
The 2020 Taycan 4S is available to order now, and Porsche says customers have the option to receive their cars via contactless home delivery, which is one of the many ways automakers are working with buyers amid the coronavirus pandemic.
We've driven the Taycan 4S twice now -- once on dry roads near Los Angeles, and once in the Arctic Circle in northern Finland. Each time, we've been impressed with the fact that the Taycan feels like a proper Porsche through and through, with excellent infotainment tech and solid interior refinement to boot. Given its significantly lower starting price but no huge loss of performance (or visual appeal), the 4S might just be the most appealing model in the Taycan range.
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