Premium Electric Car of the Year 2024: Porsche Taycan
The Porsche Taycan is the 2024 Auto Express Premium Electric Car of the Year, with the BMW i4 and Volvo EX30 commended
There’s no shortage of premium electric cars to choose from these days, but nothing in the last year has been a match for the superb new Porsche Taycan. Considering the subtle superficial changes for the 2024 model year, that might seem like a surprise, but that’s because Stuttgart’s finest have instead focused on improving what’s under that swoopy skin – and to fabulous effect.
A new battery pack, fresh control electronics and even a new motor have managed to make the entire system more efficient, benefiting both straight-line performance and energy consumption. In the case of the base-model Taycan fitted with the optional Performance Battery Pack, we averaged a brilliant 4.0 miles per kilowatt hour which, thanks to 97kWh of usable energy, translates into a real-world range of almost 400 miles. That’s a big improvement over its predecessor, and grants it the sort of range befitting of a four-door GT car.
Thanks to faster charging (it now tops up at up to 320kW), you can appreciate its other grand-tourer qualities even more often; comfort and refinement are both superb. Of course, being a Porsche, it’s still engaging when you aim it towards a more challenging road, too.
Even the base model now cracks the 0-62mph sprint a full 0.8 seconds faster than before, while the top-spec Turbo GT with the Weissach package smashes through that benchmark in a frankly bonkers 2.2 seconds. Where equipped, the latest version of Porsche’s Active Ride Control air-suspension system makes the body control even more staggeringly capable.
Our choice
Porsche Taycan (£86,500)
It’s really hard to look beyond the base Taycan. It’s still more than rapid enough even for keen drivers, the rear-wheel-drive balance is sweet, and it’s able to return the best energy efficiency of the range. The cash you save there over more potent variants can be spent on customising the colours inside and out exactly to your tastes.
Commended
Few electric cars can claim to be a more capable all-rounder than the BMW i4. It’s an efficient EV with a large range and rapid 205kW charging (depending on model), which drives like a petrol-powered 4 Series, so its ride, handling and refinement are all great. The hatchback boot opening even makes it practical, too.
The Volvo EX30 certainly deserves a place in our premium EV category, yet its price is anything but premium. The range kicks off from a smidge over £33,000, and for the money, there’s little else around that can match its mix of desirability, performance and badge appeal.
You can find all the information on our New Car Awards 2024 winners and the reasons why we chose them on the pages below. Just follow the links to read more…
New Car Awards 2024: the winners
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