Camouflaged prototypes for an updated version of Porsche’s Taycan have been spotted testing for well over a year, and soon the automaker will finally lift the veil.
The updates, which constitute a mid-cycle refresh for Porsche’s debut electric vehicle, will be revealed this spring, the automaker has confirmed. All three versions, the sedan, Sport Turismo wagon, and Cross Turismo soft-roader, will arrive at the same time. They should be introduced for the 2025 model year in the U.S. An electric Macan compact crossover revealed last month goes on sale shortly as a 2024 model.
Final testing for the updated Taycan is currently underway, Porsche revealed last month. The testing takes place all over the globe, including north of the Arctic Circle in Finland as well as in California’s Death Valley. According to Porsche, the temperatures the prototypes endure range from -42 to 127 degrees F.
Even in the most extreme temperatures, the prototypes not only had to maintain driving performance, but also their battery’s charging system and thermal management system were put to the test.
2025 Porsche Taycan prototype
The prototypes reveal some minor styling changes are planned, including new internals for the headlights. The headlights feature the latest in matrix LED technology. According to Porsche, the new design delivers a more precise light pattern as well as double the brightness of the outgoing version.
Porsche hasn’t detailed any mechanical changes planned for the Taycan, though Kevin Giek, who is responsible for the model line, said the goals for the update could be summed up as “faster, higher, further.” This likely alludes to faster track speeds, higher charging rates, and further driving distances on a charge. During a real world test in Southern California, a prototype managed to cover 364 miles on a charge. The Taycan’s current EPA range estimates top out at 246 miles.
The updated Taycan will also include a new performance grade at the top, rumored to be called a Taycan Turbo GT. This version managed to lap Germany’s Nürburgring racetrack in a time of 7:07.55, Porsche announced in early January. The time is roughly 18 seconds faster than the lap delivered by a Tesla Model S Plaid equipped with its available Track Package, and only two seconds slower than the lap delivered by the Rimac Nevera electric hypercar.
Porsche plans to reveal a video of the Nürburgring run in mid-March, which may be also when the automaker shows its updated Taycan.
