Today, updates to car software are not a surprise: those that focus on hardware (physical components of the vehicle) are because they are not frequent. The latest update of the Porsche Taycan belongs to this second group: it is intended for its first units and with it, Porsche has managed to fix the only problem that made the Porsche Taycan a slow car.
Porsche’s first production electric car may be one of the fastest models around, but it has one thing that’s definitely not fast: charging, at least in early models. those units they could only charge at 9.6 kW with alternating current: it took 9.5 hours to get the standard ready, while models with the Performance Battery Plus package required 10.5 hours.
twice as fast
Porsche has released an update whereby that charging module can be replaced by a more powerful unit of 19.2 kW, which was launched in 2021. This improvement allows the first Porsche Taycan to charge its battery twice as fast: with it, the standard battery goes from 0 to 100% in 4.8 hours, while the time for the Performance Battery Plus is reduced to 5.3 hours.
The truth is that the update is offered for any Porsche Taycan, but it’s particularly important for first-year models. The reason? With this update, they acquire the same load capacity as the new models that are currently on sale at dealerships.
An upgrade… expensive
This updating obviously has a price. Considering that the charger is behind the front trunk, it is necessary to install a new section of wiring harness. The most powerful charging module costs approximately 1,750 euros plus labor: Porsche calculates that this operation needs twelve hours of work, so taking into account the prices of its official workshops… the update can cost more than 4,200 euros. In the case of new Porsche Taycans, the charger upgrade costs around 1,500 euros.
It must be taken into account that this modification implies other changes: the car will need an external charger with adequate power. One with 7 kW is not enough: Porsche offers the 19.2 kW Wall Charger Connect with a 5-inch touch screen and Wi-Fi (for software updates) by 1,500 euro.
Plug & Charge
Finally, this update comes from Plug & Charge. With this function, You can charge the battery and make the payment without the need for cards or a mobile application… as long as the driver has a My Porsche account. Just plug in the connector: the Porsche Taycan establishes encrypted communication with the compatible charging station and charging starts instantly. When finished, the payment of the operation will be made automatically.