Interview with a Porsche Taycan owner

The first all-electric Porsche has been turning heads ever since its debut in 2019. Various news stories have been circulating about the Taycan breaking world records, setting new fastest lap times and even being taken for a spin by a real astronaut! But have you been waiting to read a down to earth review of the Taycan? Maybe by someone who actually owns one?

We got in touch with Nick Proctor to find out about his real-world experience of owning a Porsche Taycan. As a self-confessed petrolhead, we were keen to find out whether the electric Porsche Taycan can go the extra mile as a daily driver and a sports car. Nick picked up his new electric Porsche in October, so has had a few opportunities to stretch its legs in between local lockdowns to get to know the car.

1. Have you owned a Porsche before?

I grew up around cars and car lovers. It was familiar to see a Lotus, a motorbike or the latest GTI on the drive. I think it’s safe to say my family are petrolheads. We grew up watching Top Gear and Fifth Gear, as well as going to the annual motor show (some of my best memories with my dad and brother).

I remember saying I would one day get a Porsche, but over the last decade I’ve increasingly been aware of the environmental damages and have felt constrained to EVs. I had an EV run-around to see if it would work for me and found the experience to be really positive, so I got myself down on the Taycan order list in February 2019.

2. Tell us about the options you chose for your Taycan

I feel like I’ve gone quite all out in the areas that mattered to me and then smart on how the cost comes together – something Dick Lovett helped me with. I’ve spent on things like the special colour (Chalk), the sports kit (it’s a must), massage chairs (use them every time I drive it), vegan interior (how cool is that), Bose sound and a few others, and then reigned in on model with the 4S (the Turbo is too fast?), have stuck to the aero wheels (I think they are timeless) vs. mission-e which weren’t for me. Oh, and don’t forget the heated steering wheel – that upgrade is epic.

It’s inspiring to see what is possible – the idea of Porsche + EV didn’t seem to work, but they’ve absolutely nailed it. It drives better than any other Porsche I’ve been in (in a number of ways) and you don’t notice the compromise as you are far too comfy to care! Instant power, immediate response – you feel part of the car. In contrast, in any petrol car you can feel a little more on the edge of your seat – but I’ll just go to Alton Towers for that feeling or get a Red Letter Day now.

100%. I mean it looks better (let’s face it) than some of the other Porsche models. Crazy really because it’s ticked so many boxes. It’s a five-door family car that has a better relationship with the planet and looks downright sexy.

I’ve been looking out for an EV for some time that I could get excited about. My company, amber energy, is part of the movement to a sustainable planet, so choosing robustness, longevity and trying not to compromise was really important to me.

5. What do your friends and family think of the Taycan?

They absolutely love it and don’t realise it’s an EV. I find that good fun as you can still pop the front hood – mainly because the ‘fake sound’ is one of the best sounds you could have in your car (oh, forget to mention that – well worth getting it!)

6. Have you managed to make any long journeys in your Taycan?

I’ve been up and down to Sheffield from Cardiff and you do need to plan. It has suited the ‘lockdown life’ as I think I’ve had more time to learn about the car and plan out routes. If you don’t mind planning or have flexible working then it won’t bother you, but if you don’t plan and always find yourself stressing about the next charging station you might want to consider your local charging points first.

It honestly doesn’t need a routine. A mindset to charge when charging is free is useful (as you can go shopping, charge for free and basically feel like your food shop didn’t cost you anything!).

There is a charging stop 50 meters from my house. Most councils are trying to drop the charging points in-close to the housing estates and more are coming. That has been crucial as there isn’t any parking on my street bar the two electric charging spots – so it works quite well for the priority of having a space and charging up at the same time.

8. What would you say to someone who has range anxiety about getting an electric car?

Depends how bad that is. If you have range anxiety in a petrol car, then it’s probably a step too far. If not, I’d say – test drive one for a couple of hours. Drop it off, watch Porsche charge it up, understand how it fits together and how easy it is and you’ll probably want to come to the races!

I’d like to see a 911. I mean I’ve probably killed off anyone reading this article as I don’t think you are allowed to say that out loud, but I think future generations will think we were mad burning something from old fossils to go faster right?

We are going to do an EV rally (other Taycan owners are welcome) in the aftermath of Covid. That will take us down to Monaco – watch this space.

We would like to say a big thank you to Nick for giving us this insight into Taycan ownership and look forward to hearing what he and his car get up to in the future. The fantastic photos Nick has provided us with were taken by Amy Shore. 

 If you would like to know more about the Tacyan, we have also addressed some of the most common questions we have been asked about the car. Or if you think you already know everything there is to know about this model, why not test your knowledge of the first electric Porsche in one of our Taycan Quizzes?

If hearing Nick’s account of owning an electric Porsche has sparked your interest in the Taycan and you would like more information, please contact your local Porsche Centre who will be happy to help.

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