All option 4S w/o performance battery plus

[maddie]

Hi,
I’ve seen the previous comparisons but i have a specific question. I’ve just ordered a taycan 4S with multiple options. A big fan of mission e, i also paid for the expensive tires and full leather interior. My dealer really recommended not getting the performance battery plus, as he said the additional 30 miles weren’t a great value for money. I haven’t got word on financing or lease terms yet.

Can anyone explain what I’ll be missing in terms of power with the standard battery in terms of drive ? I was told the power doesn’t make much of a difference. It’s added weight too which is good or bad for the drive ? Also, how does it change residual value ? Anyone has number ! Would appreciate comments on whether an additional 5570 would be worth spending.

Also, battery is probably the one thing that will be different in 3 years, considering Porsche is working with a new battery. Does anyone thing we will have an option to change anytime ?

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[02bluesuperroo]

This chart might help you make your decision. Now you're making me want to drop the PBP...

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/2021-porsche-taycan-epa-range-testing/

The PBP is 18% larger so I don't know why you wouldn't get 18% more miles.

PBP does offer 50 more horsepower on the 4s though...

 

[Chris8536]

The extra battery makes a significant difference at high speed long distance travel. EA stations are spaced pretty far apart and 30 mi ends up making a big difference on comfortably hitting the next one vs going slow to save power to get there. Between that and the power, I picked battery over full leather. Just my 2 c

 

[maddie]

The extra battery makes a significant difference at high speed long distance travel. EA stations are spaced pretty far apart and 30 mi ends up making a big difference on comfortably hitting the next one vs going slow to save power to get there. Between that and the power, I picked battery over full leather. Just my 2 c

Thanks. Other than the added range, do you think there’s a performance difference ?

 

[fullmetalbaal]

My understanding is that 0-60 is the same, but 30-70 mph or any of the other "car is already moving, accelerate MORE" show better performance for the PBP.

IMHO that kind of "passing acceleration" is in many cases more important and also more noticeable in daily driving.

I'll try to find the actual numbers.

 

[fullmetalbaal]

It's not only the range, IIRC the smaller battery also doesn't charge at 270 kw. (you are stopping more frequently AND are charging more slowly when you're stopping)

 

[schad]

The PBP is 18% larger so I don't know why you wouldn't get 18% more miles.

Because the motors now need to move 18% more battery weight.

 

[wemct]

@maddie - you are in NY, the range in winter will drop significantly. You will appreciate every additional mile of range. The mission e wheels will also impact range. I have never heard anyone on the forum with the larger battery complain that they had too much range.

 

[riburn3]

Passing times are faster, which has more real world practicality. I also believe the PB+ charges a bit faster on fast charging stations. That might mean a lot or nothing to you. If you plan to travel in it, that's important, as is the added range since depending on where you live, the unreliable EA network could mean that extra mileage saves you to get to the next charge point.

For EV's I also think a bigger battery means better residual values. We have nearly a decade of Tesla resale values to look at across various models and trims, and always, always, always, the bigger the battery, the more valuable the car. Remember, at 50k miles, you might lose around 5% of your battery life. If I'm a prospective buyer, 3 or 4 years from now, do I want the 4S that has lost 10 miles on it's already pretty weak 199 mile range, or will I take the 4S with the PB+ that has peace of mind with extra range even with battery degradation, and better performance in day to day driving?

 

[Fish Fingers]

Thanks. Other than the added range, do you think there’s a performance difference ?

 

[DNADoc]

I am very happy I got the larger battery. As others have mentioned it really isn't about the increased range as much as it is about the acceleration at midrange speeds...60 mph - 80 mph to pass on the highway for example. I really noticed the difference in test driving my identical model with and without the performance battery....My range is about 280 miles in Southern California.

Buck

 

[maddie]

I am very happy I got the larger battery. As others have mentioned it really isn't about the increased range as much as it is about the acceleration at midrange speeds...60 mph - 80 mph to pass on the highway for example. I really noticed the difference in test driving my identical model with and without the performance battery....My range is about 280 miles in Southern California.

Buck

Thank you. That’s very helpful. I would have test driven both but there are no RWDs in the area. The car I test drove had the PB+

 

[whitex]

Perhaps another way to look at it - you can always upgrade the tires at a later time for $5K perhaps, but you cannot upgrade the battery that easily. If it was me and I was budget limited, I would go for the bigger battery over an option I can upgrade in the future. Biggest reason for me would that that bigger battery to me means more power, more range (especially important in the cold or when driving fast, for example my 259 rated miles Tesla only did only 142 miles when cruising at 90-100mph through Montana, and it wasn't winter yet either, it was a pleasant 50F - had to slow down few miles before the DC charger to reach it), less stress on battery (same power draw drains the battery less), lower battery wear (less charge/discharge cycles). That said, if those reasons are not important to you, you probably will not regain the full cost of the battery upgrade in future resale value - the battery upgrade depreciates together with the rest of the car options. Same for bigger wheels by the way, or any option for that matter (options depreciate faster - a Turbo which costed the same as a loaded 4S will sell for more money in 4 years). A bigger battery may help sell the car faster though.

 

[W1NGE]

Hi,
I’ve seen the previous comparisons but i have a specific question. I’ve just ordered a taycan 4S with multiple options. A big fan of mission e, i also paid for the expensive tires and full leather interior. My dealer really recommended not getting the performance battery plus, as he said the additional 30 miles weren’t a great value for money. I haven’t got word on financing or lease terms yet.

Can anyone explain what I’ll be missing in terms of power with the standard battery in terms of drive ? I was told the power doesn’t make much of a difference. It’s added weight too which is good or bad for the drive ? Also, how does it change residual value ? Anyone has number ! Would appreciate comments on whether an additional 5570 would be worth spending.

Also, battery is probably the one thing that will be different in 3 years, considering Porsche is working with a new battery. Does anyone thing we will have an option to change anytime ?

A fair question to ask and one hard to justify depending on your outlook.

Keep in mind Porsche don't offer the standard battery on the Taycan Cross Turismo (any model) - they must have a 'good' reason to do this.

I suffer range anxiety and an uncertain charging infrastructure so the extra miles (and power when needed) seemed to provide me with additional assurance. That said, stateside cars appear to get much higher range with either battery than we do in UK - in some case more than I can dream off with the Performance Battery Plus. Resale would be a concern (in UK) due to the range so on the saloon its a no-brainer box tick and for the Cross Turismo, Porsche have already made that decision for you.

 

[nycebo]

Passing times are faster, which has more real world practicality. I also believe the PB+ charges a bit faster on fast charging stations.

For EV's I also think a bigger battery means better residual values. We have nearly a decade of Tesla resale values to look at across various models and trims, and always, always, always, the bigger the battery, the more valuable the car. Remember, at 50k miles, you might lose around 5% of your battery life. If I'm a prospective buyer, 3 or 4 years from now, do I want the 4S that has lost 10 miles on it's already pretty weak 199 mile range, or will I take the 4S with the PB+ that has peace of mind with extra range even with battery degradation, and better performance in day to day driving?

Two good points and one dubious point. First, the "while-already-moving (WAM)" acceleration is definitely better with the bigger battery in the 4S. It's one of the reasons I moved in that direction, but not the principal one. Instead, it's because of your second point: the PB+ does indeed charge faster at EA stations and that is time (aka money) well spent.

However, I do have to take issue with the constant harping on resale values. It's not enough to simply state that one options or another will improve resale value. We've been through this with sport chrono and turbos. One needs to evaluate the actual resale value against the actual initial MSRP and very few people actually do that. Instead, you fall in Porsche's trap of buying very expensive but almost ALWAYS unnecessary options...especially if price is an issue for some buyers. I mean come on...ceramic brakes, a stopwatch on the dash for one's track laps to Whole Foods? Luxuries but not necessities and absolutely no proven % benefit at resale time (for those that own vs lease).

Now, onto the most salient post in this thread...

Perhaps another way to look at it - you can always upgrade the tires at a later time for $5K perhaps, but you cannot upgrade the battery that easily. If it was me and I was budget limited, I would go for the bigger battery over an option I can upgrade in the future. Biggest reason for me would that that bigger battery to me means more power, more range [SNIP], less stress on battery (same power draw drains the battery less), lower battery wear (less charge/discharge cycles). That said, if those reasons are not important to you, you probably will not regain the full cost of the battery upgrade in future resale value - the battery upgrade depreciates together with the rest of the car options.

This is really good thinking vis a vis the battery vs the wheels. I would ABSOLUTELY take the PB+ over those ridiculously overpriced (but admittedly beautiful) mission wheels. Seriously, what a ripoff. Besides, 21s are slower AND less efficient. It's literally all looks and no brains. And, like whitex stated, you CAN get the wheels in the future if you change your mind and sell off the existing wheels relatively easily. In comparison, you will never practically upgrade that battery. This, friends, is GREAT logic. Kudos whitex.

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