Flexible EV technology will allow Porsche to quickly expand its model range

Porsche confirmed it will leverage the relatively high flexibility of electric powertrains to offer many different variants of battery-powered cars like the Taycan. Some markets will receive entry-level models, for example, while others will have access to quicker, more powerful versions.

An electric drivetrain is more flexible than a comparable gasoline-powered unit. Engineers are able to lock a battery’s full capacity using software, something rival Tesla has often done in the past, and they can easily offer different configurations by adding or removing a motor. The technology’s plug-and-play nature could allow Porsche to offer an entry-level car with less range and a cheaper price on the Chinese market, company CEO Oliver Blume told British magazine Autocar.

He added high-end models are possible, too. They would primarily be aimed at the United States, where demand for expensive electric cars remains strong, but they could also appear in China. Legislators and consumers will ultimately shape Porsche’s product portfolio. We could see a cheaper variant of the Taycan that slips under an incentive threshold in a given market, an upmarket variant that offers long range and supercar-like acceleration, or anything in between.

“When you look at our 911 model range, you can imagine what we are able to do with electro-mobility — very sporty versions, and entry-level models as well,” Blume summed up.

He stopped short of announcing when additional Taycan variants will be available, but Roadshow learned a cheaper model positioned below the Turbo model will be available before the end of 2019. That timeframe seemingly hints the model will make its official debut during the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show, and it will go on sale for the 2020 model year with a considerably more mainstream pricetag than the Taycan Turbo, which starts at over $150,000 before options.