Say Hello To The Porsche Taycan: Mission E Has A Brand New Name

What do you make of that name?

As the Porsche Mission E continues to get closer to production, we figured the name Porsche has used for its first fully electric model was already set in stone. Instead, Porsche has announced that the production Mission E will actually use a new name: Taycan. Roughly translated, the word means "lively young horse" in German, which likely references the horse in the Porsche crest. "Our new electric sports car is strong and dependable; it's a vehicle that can consistently cover long distances and that epitomizes freedom," Porsche chief Oliver Blume said in a statement.

The Taycan has been one of the most hotly anticipated cars of the decade, and this new name only makes us even more excited. The most powerful variant will use two synchronous electric motors producing more than 600 horsepower. Porsche expects the Taycan to do 0 to 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds, and have a driving range of more than 300 miles on a single charge. There will likely be different versions of the Taycan, including one based on the Mission E Cross Turismo Concept. The Taycan will be Porsche's first all-electric model, which will be followed up by more electrified cars. By 2025, 25% of all Porsche cars will be fully-electric or hybrid.

The name change from Mission E to Taycan makes a lot of sense. Mission E sounded cool, but it didn't share much connection with the rest of the Porsche lineup. The name Taycan will fit in nicely with the Macan, Cayenne, Cayman, Boxster, and Panamera, while the 911 retains in its own unique numeric naming scheme.

People Are Already Trying To Order The Porsche Taycan

Early bird gets the worm.

Aside from having a new name, we really don't have any details regarding the Porsche Taycan. We have seen the car in concept form, as both the Mission E and Mission E Cross Turimso, but Porsche has not revealed a production version as of yet. However according to Autocar, customers have already started to place their orders before seeing a production version of the car. It seems people are eager to get their hands of Porsche's first all-electric model.

UK managing director Alexander Pollich confirmed that orders for the Taycan have already been taken, but declined to to confirm exactly how many have been placed. “The reaction from customers has been fantastic - from the moment we announced the car to now, when we have asked customers to register their interest for the first cars. The history of Porsche began with an electric car in 1898 and that provides some inspiration and motivation for us. Of course there was a big gap, but we have led with the introduction of hybrids and now we will use our heritage and learnings to offer a class-leading electric car." he said.

It doesn't surprise us that people are eager to own one of the most hotly anticipated electric cars since the Tesla Model 3. Pollich explained that "the next 18 months will be fascinating, as we develop and reveal the car, but what is already clear is that customers are keen. They are talking to our dealers asking how to get to the top of the priority lists and asking to access more information.” Hopefully Porsche can avoid the preorder fiasco that Tesla suffered when it could not meet initial Model 3 demand.

This Is The Correct Pronunciation Of Porsche Taycan

We guarantee that you've been saying it wrong.

Set to debut by the end of the year, what was formerly called the Porsche Mission E is now officially the Taycan. In case you've been wondering how to pronounce the exotic name, that question has been answered in this new Porsche teaser video. Drumroll please…it’s pronounced “Tie-Kahn.” Yes, we've been saying "Tay-Kan" too. The video’s primary focus is to emphasize that it’s possible for an all-electric vehicle, at least built by Porsche, to have a “soul.”

For 70 years, Porsche has literally helped to define what it means for a sports car, sedan, and SUV to be much more than just four wheels, an engine, and a hunk of metal. The thrill of driving has always been one of Porsche’s greatest achievements, evident in both its track and road cars.

But EVs are an entirely new realm. The sound of an internal combustion engine is gone, replaced by… something? And that right there is the challenge Porsche claims it has achieved with its upcoming Taycan. On paper, its specs sure sound amazing. With around 600 hp on hand, the Taycan will reportedly be capable of hitting 62 mph in under 3.5 seconds. The base model doesn’t sound so shabby either with a reported 402 hp. Combined with a 311-mile range per charge, the Taycan, like the Tesla Model S, will be a totally suitable daily driver and long distance hauler (provided the charging network is in place). The video also reveals a few seconds worth of teaser Taycan images, specifically its rear taillights and silhouette.