Porsche's Taycan Depreciation Crisis: An In-Depth Analysis of the Reasons

Cars with Miles

The Battery Technology Predicament [0:39]

• Complexity and Evolution: Battery technology in electric vehicles is extremely complex and constantly evolving as manufacturers try to develop more powerful and efficient batteries.
  • This leads to the constant development of new technologies and protocols.
  • This evolution can lead to partial or complete failure of the batteries.

    

• Costs and Repair: The battery is the largest and most expensive component of an electric vehicle.
  • A new Taycan battery can cost as much as a used Macan S. [1:41]

    

  • Porsche mechanics are frustrated with the constant training required to keep up with evolving technology. [1:48]

    

    

• Infrastructure Shortcomings: The service infrastructure for electric vehicles lags behind the development of the cars. [3:24]
  • In 2020-2021 there were problems with battery cooling and contactors. [2:03]
  • The Taycan was one of the first mass-produced vehicles with 800-volt architecture, which was new to many, including Porsche. [2:11]
  • Initially, there were no over-the-air software updates, meaning vehicles had to be taken to the dealer for software issues. [2:20]

    

• Maintenance Challenges: Repairing battery modules by Porsche is a complex and time-consuming process that is not practiced by all manufacturers. [3:00]
  • This contributes to longer repair times and discourages potential buyers.
• Speculation and Domino Effect: The early problems and high repair costs may have led to a domino effect. [3:51]
  • Reports of long service stays and recurring problems unnerve potential buyers.
  • This can lead to Taycans sitting on dealer lots for longer, resulting in discounts.

    

The Importance of Range in EVs [4:25]

• The Expectation of EV Enthusiasts: Range is as important to EV enthusiasts as 0-60 mph acceleration is to performance car enthusiasts. [4:25]
  • A low real-world range, even with a large battery capacity, is perceived negatively.
• First Generation Taycan Issues: The first generation Taycan had significant range issues. [4:48]
  • Owners often reported only about 280 miles (450 km) of range. [4:54]

    

  • The Taycan Turbo often achieved only 200 miles (320 km) of real-world range, which was poor compared to competitors like Lucid and Tesla. [5:52]

    

    

    

    

• Software Improvements: Porsche has improved the range of the 4S model to 280-300 miles (450-480 km) with software updates, except in cold weather. [5:34]
• Impact on Reputation: The initial range and efficiency weaknesses of the first Taycan generation have severely impacted the vehicle's reputation as a practical EV. [6:30]
• Buyer Types: There are two main types of Taycan buyers: [7:20]
  • Porsche Enthusiasts: Charge at home/work and do not have high range requirements.
  • Practically Oriented Buyers: Want a Porsche but are unwilling to compromise on range and efficiency and pay more for it than for competitors.
• Future Prospects: Although the second-generation Taycan is objectively better in range and efficiency, this is unlikely to significantly improve the general perception and residual values. [7:46]
  • Porsche would have to take radical measures, such as a significantly longer warranty, to restore confidence. [8:16]

Recalls, "Lemon Law" and the General EV Market [9:01]

• Perceived Reliability: The reliability of the Taycan has suffered from several recalls. [9:01]
  • There have been about 15 recalls and repairs, some of them critical (e.g. brakes). [10:19]

    

  • A recent recall limits battery charge to 80%, making long-distance driving difficult. [10:31]
• Problems in the Repair Process: Many issues were not resolved by dealers the first time, leading to repeated service visits for the same vehicle. [9:33]
• "Lemon Law" Cases: Around 5% of Taycans for sale are "Lemon Law" vehicles, which is comparable to Mercedes EQS and Hyundai Ioniq 5. [12:13]

  

  • However, the drastic price drop of the expensive Taycan is more noticeable than for cheaper EVs.
• Media Distortion: Recalls are often exaggerated to generate clicks. [11:14]

  

  • Many Taycan recalls, especially in the early years, could have been fixed via over-the-air updates, but the infrastructure was lacking. [11:25]
  • Most recalls were minor and comparable to those of other vehicles. [11:49]
• The Reality of the EV Market: The Taycan is a new model for Porsche and is not yet fully understood. [13:39]
  • The main reason for the depreciation is that it is an electric car. [13:56]
  • Demand for electric cars has declined overall, both in the premium and non-premium segments. [14:02]

    

    

• Comparison with Panamera: The Panamera, another four-door Porsche model, also suffered depreciation, but not as extreme as the Taycan. [14:07]

  

The New Taycan 4 Cross Turismo: A Review [14:42]

• Driving Characteristics and Design: The Taycan 4 Cross Turismo is a very enjoyable station wagon with excellent driving characteristics. [14:45]

  

  • The exterior and interior design, such as the "Frozen Berry Metallic" with neodymium accents and dark houndstooth inserts, is praised. [14:53]

    

• Technology and Handling: The Taycan features Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus and rear axle steering, resulting in dreamlike handling. [15:02]
  • It offers boundless confidence, precise turn-in, and excellent body control, despite its size and weight of over 5,000 pounds. [15:08]
  • The air suspension is good for everyday use and sporty driving. [19:23]
• Performance and Acceleration: Although the 4 Cross Turismo with 430 hp from two electric motors and a 105 kWh battery pack is the "slowest" Taycan model, it feels very agile. [15:21]
  • The speaker mostly drives it in "Range mode," which still feels fast. [15:37]
  • Officially, it accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds; one measurement yielded 4.34 seconds. [17:26]

    

• Steering Feel: Porsche offers the best steering feel among all EV manufacturers, only Lucid comes close. [16:03]
  • The steering wheel itself contributes to the direct and analog steering feel. [16:12]
  • The precise steering feel makes the Taycan an EV for enthusiasts and outperforms many gasoline vehicles. [16:21]
• Wishes for the Future: The speaker would like to see a pure rear-wheel drive mode for the all-wheel drive models, similar to the BMW X-Drive system. [18:53]
• Summary: The new generation of the Taycan is an improvement over the previous generation in almost every respect, with better range, performance, and technology. [19:31]