Power from the electric motor is transferred to the front wheels on the front axle via an integrated lightweight spur-gear differential and a coaxial, small one-speed planetary gear with an overall ratio of about 8:1.
Porsche invented the two-speed transmission that is mounted on the Taycan’s rear axle. The long second gear maintains great efficiency and power reserves even at very high speeds, while the first gear gives the Taycan even more acceleration from a standing start.
Three shafts form the foundation of the two-speed transmission. A shiftable planetary gear set is also used, allowing for a proportional reduction for the extremely short first gear, in addition to the two spur gear stages, which technically reflect the ratio of the second gear. A wheel revolution takes the motor about 15 revolutions to complete. As a result, the wheel torque is extremely high, enabling stunning acceleration from a standing start.
In the Sport and Sport Plus driving modes, first gear is primarily utilised. In these settings, Launch Control is also accessible. After spending a considerable amount of time in first gear, the transmission shifts into second gear with a shift overboost.
Comparable to the front axle’s transmission, second gear has a ratio of about 8:1. Thus, one wheel revolution is equal to eight electric motor revolutions. This provides a sports car-like top speed and high-speed acceleration reserves. A variable limited-slip differential for the rear axle is an option.
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Why the Two-Speed Transmission in the Porsche Taycan EV Is a Big Deal
The Taycan’s rear axle employs a two-speed arrangement for better acceleration and range compared to most electric vehicles, which have single-speed direct-drive gearboxes.
- A first for an EV, the 2020 Porsche Taycan has a two-speed automatic transmission at the back axle.
- In order to increase acceleration and efficiency at greater speeds, this multispeed gearbox is designed.
- The Taycan has the option to detach its rear axle and just use its front axle for propulsion.
The Porsche Taycan is the first EV to use a two-speed transmission, which has many benefits above the single-speed setup used in all other EVs.
In an electric vehicle (EV), a multispeed gearbox offers the same advantages as it does in a car fueled by gasoline: improved low-speed acceleration and increased efficiency at high speeds by reducing the power source’s spinning speed. In other words, the two-speed transmission’s ratio spread will increase the Taycan’s speed while extending its highway driving range.
The Porsche’s gearbox comprises a single planetary gearset and two clutches that control the ratio swap or completely detach the rear motor, enabling efficient operation with just the front-axle engine. The gearing step is significant, with the shift occurring at a speed of about 50 mph and the second-gear ratio being about half that of the first. The Taycan typically travels in high gear. Sport or Sport Plus mode allows for first-gear starts; in Normal mode, it requires a significant amount of accelerator input.
Porsche says that the Taycan Turbo S, which has 750 horsepower, can reach 60 mph in 2.6 seconds in 10 consecutive attempts with minimal performance loss. According to this, the car’s performance will remain constant even when the battery is less than 50 percent charged, with a detectable but unnoticeable slowdown. The car’s greater working voltage, which generates less heat than lower-voltage setups, the permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors, and the usage of the two-speed transmission on the back axle are all credited by Porsche.
Although Porsche has not yet released EPA range numbers, the tall top gear should increase the Taycan’s range at highway cruising speeds, which is typically EV kryptonite.
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How the Porsche Taycan Is Quicker Than the Tesla Model S Due to Its Two-Speed Transmission
The new Porsche Taycan Turbo S and the Tesla Model S Performance recently competed in a drag race on Top Gear. The Taycan won the 0-60 sprint despite the Tesla having a weight and power advantage. Crazy, huh? As Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained explains in his most recent video, straight-line performance encompasses more than simply weight and power.
The Taycan’s 0-60 time in the Top Gear test was 2.61 seconds, whereas the Model S’s was 2.68 seconds. Therefore, Tesla’s claim of 2.4 seconds is accurate but Porsche’s factory-claimed time of 2.6 seconds is wrong by a few tenths. The Tesla completed the quarter-mile in 11.08 seconds, compared to the Porsche’s 10.69.
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The actual cause of the Porsche’s victory? According to Fenske, gearing is everything. The Taycan uses a two-speed transmission in the back and a one-speed transmission in the front, as opposed to the one-speed transmission used by most electric vehicles. Before changing into the more economical second gear, the first gear can quadruple the torque factor coming from the electric motor and going to the ground because it remains in place up to 62 mph.
Fenske makes the argument using a number of mathematics that the Porsche is able to generate more wheel torque and consequently larger g forces in that first gear despite the stated power ratings and higher weight. The torque statistics for either gear level out as the vehicle hits 62 mph, thus the vehicle moves to second so that the back electric motor can spin at a slower speed.
In contrast, the Model S only has one fixed ratio to deal with. That requires it to operate at both low and high speeds using a single ratio. It has less practical performance since it cannot, like the Taycan, instantly double the torque at each wheel. But that’s just a straightforward explanation. The complete overview is provided in the video above by Fenske.
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Except for the base model, all have a motor on each axle, with the rear coupled to a two-speed transmission.
Except for the base model, every Taycan has an electric motor on each axle, a two-speed transmission, and a flat battery pack that runs the length of the cabin. There are two different battery pack sizes, as was already noted, but they are both the same size physically, therefore both options have the same packing.
With motors, things become more challenging because each individual motor differs based on the model, and in the case of the basic Taycan and 4S, depending on the battery size used. The second overboost peak power number is therefore accessible to all models during launch control.
As a result, the standard Taycan’s single rear-mounted motor has a maximum output of 321 horsepower, and it can overboost to 402 horsepower. This increases to 374 and 469 horsepower when the optional Performance Battery Plus is used.
The combined output of both engines in the 4S is 429 bhp peak with 522 bhp available on overboost for the smaller battery and 483 bhp and 563 bhp for the larger battery. Thankfully, for the sake of this breakdown, the bigger motor—which has a max output of 616 horsepower and 670 horsepower (on overboost) in turbo models—is the only one accessible. The Turbo S, which is the most powerful model in the lineup, has a higher 750 bhp overboost figure but an identical 616 bhp regular peak.
The Taycan was the first production vehicle to use an 800V electrical system, whilst other vehicles must make due with a 400V setup. It also has the best drag coefficient number of any Porsche road car at 0.22. Its battery can be charged from 5% full to 80% full on a 270kW charger in just 23 minutes, thanks to the Taycan’s greater 800V rating, which also enables it to deliver its consistent performance when at a charging station. On an 11kW charger, it will take nine hours to fully charge the battery from empty to full.
Porsche’s 4D Chassis Control, which includes a three-chamber adaptive air suspension and damper system, Porsche’s dynamic anti-roll bar technology (PDCC Sport), and its most recent torque vectoring system, supports the Taycan’s innovative J-Platform. A variety of 21-inch wheels are offered, each sporting a 265/35 front and 305/30 rear tire.
The Turbo S comes equipped with Porsche’s carbon-ceramic brakes as standard. The front brakes have ten piston calipers and 420mm discs, while the rear brakes have four piston calipers with a disc that is only 10mm smaller in diameter. According to Porsche, the high recuperation technology allows for 90% of daily braking to be accomplished without the use of brakes, relying instead on the regen force generated as you lift off.
As you approach the standard RWD Taycan, which uses coil springs, passive dampers, and does without active anti-roll and all-wheel steering, each of these high-function chassis components is downspecced.
The Taycan’s body, which is made of a combination of steel and aluminum, is mounted on a chassis with an aluminum battery tray that also serves as part of the safety framework.