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Porsche debuts luxury electric sportscar that goes zero to 60 in 2.1 seconds — but costs $230K

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Published March 11, 2024, 1:35 p.m. ET

Porsche unveiled its most powerful, speedy luxury car to date on Monday: the electric Taycan Turbo GT, which takes just 2.1 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour.

But with a staggering 1,093 horsepower that ranks among the highest on the market, it will come at a steep price tag around $230,000, according to Porsche’s press release earlier reported on by CNN.

The production car is currently available for pre-order and is set to hit the market this summer.

The Taycan Turbo GT has already set two race track speed records for EVs, even beating a Tesla Model S in one contest by a whopping 18 seconds.

Purple Porsche Taycan Turbo GT driving on a road.
Porsche unveiled its Taycan Turbo GT, which boasts a “launch control” button that surges the electric vehicle’s horsepower from 777 to 1,093, giving it the ability to accelerate from a full stop to 60 miles per hour in 2.1 seconds. Porsche

For reference, Swedish manufacturer Koenigsegg’s Regera boasts the highest horsepower money can buy, with a power output of 1,479 — and an exorbitant price tag of $1.89 million to match.

Porche’s Turbo GT is the latest, more powerful version of the German manufacturer’s base Taycan model — which is also a speedy option that can rev to 60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds.

Though the metrics serve little practical value for the standard driver, it’s notable that the Turbo GT’s power output only surges to a maximum of 1,093 horsepower for a zero to sixty time in as little as 2.1 seconds after a nifty little “launch control” button is pressed.

Otherwise, the car’s standard maximum power output is 777 horsepower which, by any normal standards, is also a lot, CNN reported.

The Taycan Turbo GT also boasts a so-called “attack mode” that lasts 10 seconds and boosts horsepower to an output of 937 while making the car’s suspension firmer for better cornering.

Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, the most powerful EV ever made, beats Tesla Model S race record by 18 seconds in a stunning sports car debut.
The Taycan Turbo GT has already set two race track speed records for EVs, even beating a Tesla Model S in one contest by a whopping 18 seconds. Porsche
A black car interior with leather seats, digital dashboard, and the Porsche logo on the steering wheel.
The Taycan Turbo GT will boast “sporty Race-Tex features” including black leather stips and embriodered logos on the front headrests. Porsche

By contrast, the popular Ford F-Series vehicles have a horsepower between 325 and 720, while a standard Toyota Prius — whose top speeds are not necessarily fast — can put out 196 horsepower.

Both of the Porsche’s acceleration features only offer short bursts of increased power levels because the motor and battery has to cool between uses, a Porsche spokesperson told CNN.

In addition, the actual power output itself would drain the batteries way too quickly if it were sustained for a longer period of time.

Aside from its impressive performance metrics, the Taycan Turbo GT will boast “sporty Race-Tex features” including black leather strips and embroidered logos on the front headrests.

A purple Porsche Taycan Turbo GT racing car on a road, the most powerful EV with 1,093 horsepower, available for pre-order starting at $230,000.
The Taycan Turbo GT is available for pre-order, with a price tag starting at $230,000. It will start delivering this summer. Porsche

Custom interior options are available in blue and silver tones upon request, while six standard exterior colors are on offer, including Porsche’s new paint colors: Pale Blue Metallic and Purple Sky Metallic — both of which are reserved exclusively for the Taycan Turbo GT for its first year on the market,

There will be two versions of the Taycan Turbo GT up for grabs: the standard four-seat offering, or the vehicle with the Weissach Package, which ditches the backseats and other comfort items to save weight, making it one-tenth of a second faster, according to Porsche.

Porsche’s upscale EV offering comes at a time when demand for battery-powered vehicles is waning and other manufacturers are cutting costs as a result.

A white Porsche Taycan Turbo GT electric car with the Weissach Package.
The Taycan Turbo GT with the Weissach Package ditches the backseats and other comfort items to save weight, making it one-tenth of a second faster, according to Porsche. Porsche
A close-up of the wheel of a Porsche Cayenne at a Porsche dealership in Rome, Italy.
The Taycan Turbo GT comes with black leather interiors, but custom options in blue and silver tones are available upon request. NurPhoto via Getty Images

Rivian Automotive said last week that it’s halting plans for a yet-to-be-constructed $5 billion plant in Georgia — the same day it launched a budget-conscious electric vehicle designed to rival Elon Musk’s Tesla.

Even more popular EV makers like BYD — which dethroned Tesla as the top EV company in the quarter ended Dec. 31 — haven’t experienced notable gains so far this year.

In fact, BYD’s share price has fallen more than 6% year to date.

Tesla’s stock, meanwhile, has fallen over 28%. The losses were attributed to knocking Elon Musk out of the world’s richest person spot for the first time since fall of 2021.