There was a lot of hype surrounding the release of the Porsche Taycan. Some people loved the innovative nature of Porsche, finally producing an all-electric vehicle, and others hated it for that same reason. After test driving the Taycan for myself, however, I can tell you that it lives up to every bit of the hype that surrounds it, and it might even be enough to convert the most stubborn electric-car hater.

The Porsche Taycan experience

I would equate my time with the Taycan as less of a test drive and more of an experience. When I bought my first Porsche a few months ago, a used Cayenne S Hybrid, I gained a lot of respect for the brand and even found out why so many people like to brag about their Porsche cars. When you sit behind the wheel of the 2020 Porsche Taycan, you feel all of the history and heritage of the brand, down to the ignition on the left side of the steering column.

What the numbers say

The numbers published by Porsche tell you everything you might think you need to know about the electric sedan, but it doesn’t explain how those numbers feel in real life. Sure, you can look up the stats and see that even the base model produces a reported 429 hp and that some models can go from 0 – 60 mph in 2.4 seconds flat. Across the models, you can find an impressive amount of performance, but you won’t be too focused on the stats when you’re sitting behind the wheel.

What it’s really like to drive one

Sitting behind the wheel of the 2020 Porsche Taycan Turbo S, the 750 hp machine, there is a lot to take in. The beautiful leather seats hold you comfortably in place, without being as rugged as the racing seats in my Lotus Elise. Driving it casually through was enjoyable, but turning down an empty, straight side road proved just what this car was capable of. The Porsche rep gave me the very brief instructions for putting the car into launch mode, and the last step was to make sure my head was back against the headrest.

And while I may have taken the instruction with a grain of salt, it was very quickly clear why it was given. The launch control of the car felt like I was behind the wheel of my very own roller coaster, and the car gave me every bit of torque and power that it had in the few seconds it took me to bring the car from 0 – 100 mph at the local airport.