The Porsche Taycan line of EVs continues to grow. It's been confirmed that a more affordable, two-wheel-drive variant is in the works, which will join the existing 4S, Turbo, and Turbo S versions.
Porsche R&D chief Michael Steiner recently said in an interview that the cheaper Taycan will be marketed in places where weather conditions don't call for a four-wheel drive.
"There will be entry-level models coming off the Taycan," Steiner said. "There will be a rear-wheel drive model with a smaller battery to make it more accessible price-wise, especially for markets that don't need 4wd - places like China, where weather conditions mean you don't need it."
Steiner did not share specific details about the 2wd Taycan, emphasizing that Porsche doesn't talk about its future products. But the German automaker did say that its electrification efforts will not be limited to merely three variants of the Taycan.
Porsche in September introduced two variants of its first all-electric vehicle, following years of development and more than $1 billion in initial investment. The Taycan Turbo came with a base price of $150,900 while the Taycan Turbo S starts at $185,000.
All versions of the Taycan EVs, including the 4S model, have the same permanent magnet synchronous motors, chassis, and suspension. Although, the 4s is slightly slower and lighter, making it cheaper than its brothers.
So far, the standard 4S makes the most affordable Taycan, with a base price of $105,250. It comes with a pair of electric motors and a 79.2 kWh battery pack capable of producing 482 horsepower. Engaged with launch control, the horsepower spikes at 562.
The 4S also has a performance-battery-plus variant that comes with dual electric motors and a 93.4 kWh battery that can produce up to 563 horsepower. You'll have to add another $6,600 if you want to have this version though. Both models of the 4S can travel from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds with a top speed of 155 miles per hour.
As for the upcoming 2wd Taycan, it will be assembled in Porsche's Zuffenhausen plant. Considering time and space restrictions, the German automaker's extra facilities needed for the EV are being built around the existing working factory. It is estimated that more than 1200 jobs will be created to assemble the new car.
According to previous reports, Porsche has doubled its production targets for the new EV, so around 40,000 Taycans should be leaving the factory each year.
