The first battery-electric wagon has arrived, and it goes by the name Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo.
Revealed on Thursday, the more practical version of Porsche's Taycan battery-electric super sedan arrives at dealerships this summer as a 2021 model.
It will be offered in Taycan 4 Cross Turismo, Taycan 4S Cross Turismo, Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo, and Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo grades, with prices set to start at $92,250, including destination. The base price is only $1,530 higher than the base price of an equivalent Taycan sedan.
The Taycan Cross Turismo is essentially a wagon option for the Taycan sedan, akin to Porsche's Panamera Sport Turismo wagon. However, the Taycan wagon is positioned as a soft-roader and thus features all the typical cues of such vehicles like a taller ride height, standard all-wheel drive, roof rails, and protective elements for the lower body. The ride height is 0.78 inches higher than the Taycan as standard and 1.17 inches higher with an available Off Road Design Package.
2021 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
Air suspension is included as standard, which enables the ride height to be adjusted. This is important for efficiency (and therefore range), as a lower ride height is key during highway driving. EPA-rated range figures will be announced closer to the market launch but with the Taycan sedan you're looking at about 200 miles in most grades. The standard battery in the Taycan Cross Turismo is Porsche's Performance Battery Plus option which has a 93.4-kilowatt-hour rating.
The suspension has also been tuned to handle rough terrain, with the drive mode selector featuring a Gravel mode for unpaved and dirt roads. This raises the ride height and adjusts the suspension firmness, traction and stability control, as well as the torque management system, to optimize grip when going over rough terrain.
2021 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
Thanks to the longer, flatter roof of the Taycan Cross Turismo, there is additional headroom for both front- and rear-seat passengers. Naturally cargo space is up substantially on the sedan, with Porsche quoting up to 42.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded flat. This is in addition to 2.9 cubic feet of storage in the front trunk.
Performance of the Taycan Cross Turismo is similar to the sedan. The Turbo S is the most potent, with its output registering at 616 hp (750 hp temporarily), or enough for 0-60 mph acceleration in 2.7 seconds. That's about 0.1 seconds off the pace of the sedan. At the end of the spectrum is the 4 which needs 4.8 seconds to achieve the same feat.
2021 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
To coincide with the launch of the Taycan Cross Turismo, Porsche is also launching two electric bikes. One is the eBike designed for road use and the other is the eBike Cross which is designed for mountain biking.
And for Porsche fans looking for a more conventional crossover with electric power, the automaker is cooking up a battery-electric Macan. It's expected to arrive next year and will be based on a separate platform to the Taycan, specifically the PPE modular EV platform Porsche is developing in partnership with fellow Volkswagen Group brand Audi.
For more on the Porsche Taycan, read the in-depth reviews at The Car Connection.
