A new variant of Porsche’s electric sports car is set to launch – joining the Taycan 4S, Taycan Turbo and Taycan Turbo S. Simply called the Taycan, the new model is  expected to arrive at U.S. dealerships starting early Spring 2021. This variant differentiates itself through its rear-wheel-drive layout – removing the front power unit takes approximately 200 pounds of weight from the front of the car.

The Taycan shares the same rear power unit and battery architecture as the Taycan 4S, and utilizes a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor as well as a 600-amp pulse inverter. Like all other Taycan variants, the Taycan uses a two-speed transaxle to provide strong and seamless acceleration, with efficient highway cruising.  Two battery configurations are available. The Performance Battery features a gross capacity of 79.2 kWh and can charge at up to 225 kW. The larger Performance Battery Plus weighs approximately 170 pounds more, features a gross capacity of 93.4 kWh and can charge at up to 270 kW. Under ideal conditions, both take just 22.5 minutes to charge from 5% to 80% , when connected to a compatible high-speed DC fast charger.

These two battery configurations also determine performance potential. The standard Performance Battery provides the power to produce up to 402 horsepower (300 kW) and 254 pound-feet of torque from the Taycan’s single rear motor. When equipped with the optional Performance Battery Plus, the motor can produce up to 469 hp (350 kW) and 263 lb-ft of torque. Taycan can accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 5.1 seconds and has a top track speed of 143 mph. With the standard battery, the Taycan covers the quarter mile in 13.7 seconds, while the larger pack shortens the sprint to 13.5 seconds.

The Taycan comes standard with 19-inch Taycan Aero wheels, six-piston front brakes and four-piston rear brakes. This setup is similar to the Taycan 4S, but the color of the wheels and the calipers differ. The Taycan will feature black calipers and alloy wheels painted in brilliant silver as standard, while the 4S is equipped with red calipers and polished alloy wheels with high gloss black spokes. As on other Porsche Taycan models, Porsche Surface Coated Brakes and Porsche Ceramic Coated Brakes, as well as 20- and 21-inch wheels are optional. Regenerative braking via the brake pedal remains.  Porsche Active Suspension Management is standard. This function serves to adjust the dampers to suit the ride from soft for comfortable highway cruising to stiff for the track or mountain road. Adaptive air suspension can be ordered as an option.

The same features found on other Taycan variants are all here: Porsche Connect with Apple CarPlay, Function on Demand, Plug and Charge, Apple Music, over the air updates, and three-years of free Electrify America charging—all included with the car as standard. Additional optional equipment such as Porsche InnoDrive with Traffic Jam Assist, a 19.2 kW on-board charger, Head Up Display, 14-way seats with massage functionality, upgraded audio systems, and multiple exterior colors and interior trims are available to choose from. Taycan buyers will be able to track the progress of their car from their smartphone, from build to delivery, through the Porsche Track Your Dream service, also available for the 911. The MSRP for the new 2021 Taycan is $79,900, not including the $1,350 delivery, processing and handling fee. Like all other Taycan models, it also qualifies for a federal tax credit of up to $7,500. EPA estimated range will be available before model launch.