Porsche opens Taycan factory and reveals eight new products

Porsche has opened a new factory for its electric Taycan before 320 guests from politics, business and media.

“We have a level of responsibility for the environment and society. Production of the Taycan is already carbon-neutral. Heritage meets the future at our parent plant in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, which is the heart of the brand”, Porsche AG executive board chairman Oliver Blume says.

“The zero-emissions Taycan is a new Porsche icon,” Blume says.

The new production facility sets new standards in terms of energy efficiency and environmental friendliness.

“We are committed to the climate protection targets agreed in Paris in December 2015 and have a clear responsibility to cut environmentally harmful emissions,” Porsche AG production and logistics executive board member Albrecht Reimold says.

“However, our sustainability strategy goes much further than decarbonisation.

“Porsche is pursuing the goal of a Zero Impact Factory – production without any negative impact on the environment.”

Porsche uses automated guided vehicle systems instead of traditional conveyor belts to transport components and vehicles from station to station.

“We call our journey into this new era Porsche Production 4.0. We are using state-of-the-art technologies to network the digital world with the mechanical world,” says Reimold.

Porsche has also implemented an unprecedented training programme to familiarise all employees with the unique features of electromobility.

It’s set to invest more than six billion euros in electromobility by 2022. The company has invested 700 million euros in the new production facilities alone, one billion including the new body shop, which will also be used for the current generation of the Porsche 911.

The new factory complements production of two-seater sports cars – 250 vehicles from the 911 and 718 series roll off the assembly line every day at the historic Zuffenhausen site.

Meanwhile, Porsche presented eight new products at the 68th International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, September 12-22.

While the now available to order electric Taycan S and Taycan Turbo are the focus for Porsche at the show, there are also new additions to the 911 family.

The all-wheel-drive models 911 Carrera 4 Coupe and 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet with 283kW, 911 Carrera 4 models now extend the product range of the standard 911 model.

Other highlights are three new hybrid models in the Cayenne series – the Cayenne E-Hybrid Coupe with a system output of 340kW as well as the Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid as Cayenne and Cayenne Coupe with 500kW, Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Coupe and the flagship model of the compact SUV model line, the Macan Turbo.

In addition, the Porsche 99X Electric was presented which the company will enter in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship in November.

The sports car manufacturer will focus on three drive technologies – all-electric, plug-in hybrids and petrol engines.

Porsche has a long history in electrics. Founder Ferdinand Porsche as early as 1893 at age 18 installed an electric lighting system in his parents’ house. In the same year Porsche joined Vereinigte Elektrizitäts-AG Béla Egger in Vienna. After four years there, he progressed from mechanic to head of the testing department and the first vehicles he designed also had electric drives.