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Porsche Taycan, the 1.111 kilometer challenge

Posted on by Lucas
Porsche Taycan, the 1.111 kilometer challenge

Electromobility
Porsche Taycan, the 1.111 kilometer challenge




From sp-x

4 min. reading time

Providers on the topic

You can also experience the challenges of electric driving in a playful way. If there is something to be won, even fans of large-volume combustion engines are ready for action.

Even the longest long distances can be completed electrically. (Image: Porsche)
Even the longest long distances can be completed electrically.

(Image: Porsche)

It’s dark, it’s cold, it’s 6:00 in the morning. Our long-distance electric adventure started in a community of 5,000 people in Vorarlberg, Austria. The town of Koblach has a new attraction that is particularly popular with electric mobility enthusiasts – a Porsche Charging Lounge. With a charging capacity of up to 400 kW, there are six fast charging stations available here, essentially the Porsche of charging stations.

Under the huge, sloping and stylishly lit roof there is also a fully glazed lounge, heated and air-conditioned, with extremely well-maintained toilets, WiFi hotspot, coffee machine and a snack/drinks machine. We use the inviting atmosphere to load our protagonists, the Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo with 440 kW/598 HP, costing from 126,400 euros, to the brim, because according to the navigation system, the first stage is 442 kilometers long and will take four hours and nine minutes. The problem: The charging indicator would be 22 percent negative when we arrived at the destination, which of course isn’t possible, but it means that we have to use the power pedal extremely sensibly to guarantee arrival.

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Race with clear guidelines

There are only a few rules for the e-marathon, apart from absolute compliance with the road traffic regulations, especially regarding the maximum permissible speed. Three more charging stops must be set up at Porsche Charging Lounges, in Bingen am Rhein, in Würzburg and in Ingolstadt. The goal is then back to Koblach. Other charging stations are not allowed to be approached, each team determines its own route. The fastest of the 18 teams could win, the record time to be beaten is currently eleven hours. We, two Wolfgangs, rather fans of large-volume combustion engine technology, take on the challenge, which is unusual for us.

Colleague Wolfgang 1 takes over the first two of four stages and now has the primary task of saving energy on the journey to Bingen. Of course, that’s easier said than done, because our powerful Cross Turismo with extremely sporty leather seats accelerates theoretically and practically from a standstill to 100 km/h in just 3.8 seconds. The maximum speed is up to 240 kilometers per hour. The sensible accelerator foot, which with our strategy should not initially exceed 90 km/h, becomes noticeable after around 86 kilometers. With a remaining running time of 356 kilometers in 3:19 hours remaining, the predicted target charge level indicator has increased to -10 percent. And 268 kilometers before the first stage destination, the white zero on a black background is on the display. The great range anxiety is present for now, which means that from now on we can play with electromobility and increase the speed.

On the way to Würzburg

In short, we didn’t end up with empty batteries like two teams before us, but we reached Bingen happily and slightly electrified with a remaining range of two percent. Now we rub our eyes, because the Porsche Charging Lounge in Bingen is 100 percent similar to the one in Koblach. Our advantage: We know our way around here straight away, find our way around straight away, every move is perfect. In order to guarantee optimal charging performance, we started the Porsche Charging Planner in the infotainment system around 20 minutes before touchdown. Among other things, the program controls the preconditioning of the battery, which then leads to a shorter charging time and thus a reduced overall travel time.

With the manually controlled battery management, we now always have a charging capacity of over 300 kW, peaking at up to 318 kW. After successfully completing the first stage, our will to fight is now strengthened and the strategy is refined with no less strong espresso. The next stage to Würzburg is only 180 kilometers, so we charge the battery to just over 76 percent in just 18 minutes in order to get back from the farm quicker.

We do the same on the third stage between Würzburg and Ingolstadt (17 minutes/75 percent for 203 kilometers). The journey is a mixture of what feels like an eternal construction site at 80 km/h, then fortunately there comes a three-lane motorway with no speed limit, on which the power pedal can be fully depressed and the speedometer shows almost 250 km/h. There are always changes in leadership, sometimes there is a Swedish team in front of us, sometimes our colleagues from Austria, sometimes we with our constant strategy optimization.

Final spurt: It’s about everything

The last stage takes us from Ingolstadt past the western edge of Munich, back to Koblach. There are still 286 kilometers to go, now it’s all about everything. A look at the navigation system shows us various traffic jams, but local knowledge and an incredible feeling make us reject the idea of ​​the alternative route via Augsburg, and therefore also via country roads. The motorway is and remains our friend, we reach our destination in Koblach after exactly 1,111.8 kilometers and in a total time of 10:45 hours. Record! And so the overall victory in the Porsche Taycan 1,111-kilometer challenge belongs to us ahead of the other 17 teams.

Conclusion: Rarely have 1,111 kilometers been covered so relaxed and with so much driving fun. No neck, no back, everything loose. Our average consumption was 25.5 kWh per 100 kilometers and we used electricity for a total of 123 euros. Next year we can defend our title.

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