Taycan to Switzerland & Austria

[tigerbalm]

Introduction

After an enjoyable trip to Norway in winter – it is now September and we're heading back to Switzerland and surrounding countries to experience how our performance orientated Taycan Turbo S handles the alpine passes.

Our planning has been completed and we get underway tomorrow morning.

We're taking a different route from our last time in Switzerland, including travelling through two new countries for the first time: Slovakia and Czechia/Czech Republic – so there should be plenty of variance on this journey.




Our high-level route

Ireland –> United Kingdom –> Netherlands –> Germany –> Switzerland –> Italy -> Austria –> Slovakia –> Czechia/Czech Republic –> Germany –> Netherlands –> United Kingdom –> Ireland


Full-resolution photos

All the photos we share will be available at full resolution on this Flickr photo album including full EXIF data.


Apple Music

If you are an Apple Music subscriber you can listen along to some of the music that's accompanying us on our trip via our BOSE audio system and the car's in-built Apple Music player, streamed over the roaming data connection provided by Porsche.

Charging Log

We'll publish a charging log each day and a final combined log at the end of the trip. Additionally, to help support the services we use in our own planning – we'll be submitting photos and charging experiences back to the PlugShare and MyPorsche apps.


Charging Networks

This time we plan to use IONITY exclusively as much as possible. Both, for cost reasons – they consistently provide the cheapest electricity for Porsche Charging Service subscribers – and also to test how good the network has become for pan-European long range road-trips.

We do have a small number of Porsche Charging stops planned and we will of course avail of destination charging where it makes sense.


Hotels

Additionally, we'll publish a full hotel log at the end of the trip. We use – as much as possible – hotels.com to book accommodation as it gives a 10% discount (via 1 night free every 10 nights booked) and easy management and cancellation of bookings.


Emissions regulations & Tolls/Vignettes

We will have plenty of stickers on our windscreen for this road-trip – though thankfully more and more European countries are issuing "digital" vignettes based on our registration plate. We have pre-purchased the appropriate vignettes or emissions stickers for: Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Slovakia and Czechia/Czech Republic.

Germany​

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Germany issues a lifetime emissions sticker for €13.95 – this grants you access to city centres that otherwise have emission zone limitations.​

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Switzerland​

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Switzerland issues a one year motorway road vignette for €39.00 – while these are easily purchased at border crossings when entering the country – having them post it out to you in advance cuts down on one more chore.​

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Austria​

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Austria issues a 10-day motorway vignette for €9.90 – which is issued digitally – so no windscreen stickers required.​

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Slovakia​

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Slovakia issues a 10-day motorway vignette for €12.00 – which is also digitally issued.​

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Czechia/Czech Republic​

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Czechia issues a lifetime exemption to requiring a vignette for fully electric vehicles. However, there is a significant amount of bureaucracy required to get one issued. You need to get a verified EU-wide digital signature as part of your application – and here in Ireland – that cost more than the vignette – so we decided to skip the paperwork and just purchase the thing!​

Tyres

Our car has the 21-inch RS Spyder Design summer wheel-and-tyre set that came with from the factory – fitted with Pirelli P Zero R21 XL Elect NF0 (PZ4). The tyres have about 8,000 km wear and have plenty of thread left on them.

Front axle: 265/35 R21 101Y XL tyres
Rear axle: 305/30 R2 104Y XL tyres

With two people in our four seater car but luggage for two weeks and frunk full of technical equipment, we're running on a 0.1 bar higher pressure then the officially recommended part-load tyre pressures:

Front tyres: 2.8 bar
Rear tyres: 2.7 bar

We'll keep on eye on the tyre pressure each day to account for local atmospheric conditions.


Road-trip series

Welcome to our latest road-trip adventure in our continuing series:

2021

• Taycan to Western Europe
• Taycan to the Scottish Highlands

2022

• Taycan to the Arctic Circle
• Taycan to the Alps

2023

• Taycan to Tromsø

Join us

We hope you'll join us on this 5,000km journey over 15 days – though eight countries as we road-trip across beautiful Western and Central Europe and learn about how we and our new performance orientated Taycan Turbo S handles the alpine passes.

In particular we welcome all the new and awaiting delivery Taycan owner's – we hope these road-trip reports give you the confidence to use your Porsche on your own wonderful adventures. Please feel free to ask questions along the way.

If you would like to be notified of each daily update to this travel log – you can use the "watch" function on the top right of this post to follow along.


Day Reports

Day 1: Dublin (Ireland) -> Harwich (United Kingdom)
Day 2: Hook of Holland (Netherlands) -> Baden-Baden (Germany)
Day 3: Baden-Baden (Germany) -> Interlaken (Switzerland)
Day 4: Interlaken (Switzerland) -> Täsch/Zermatt (Switzerland)
Day 5: Täsch (Switzerland) -> Andermatt (Switzerland)
Day 6: Mountain passes near Andermatt (Switzerland)
Day 7: Andermatt (Switzerland) -> Davos (Switzerland)
Day 8: Davos (Switzerland) -> Zell-am-See (Austria)
Day 9: Mountain passes near Zell-am-See (Austria)
Day 10: Zell-am-See (Austria) -> Salzburg (Austria)
Day 11: Salzburg (Austria) -> Bratislava (Slovakia)
Day 12: Bratislava (Slovakia) -> Prague (Czechia)
Day 13: Prague (Czechia) -> Leipzig (Germany)
Day 14: Leipzig (Germany) –> Hook of Holland (Netherlands)
Day 15: Harwich (United Kingdom) -> Dublin (Ireland)

Other posts & information

Regenerative braking & Range
Mid trip thoughts on wheel and tyre combination
911 Dakar
That's all folks!
Charging Log

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[Porsche-Guru]

Enjoy your trip....
Yes, the Swiss/Austrian/Italian passes will be great... not much snow, but great scenery and drives.

 

[Poshfpg]

While I wholeheartedly agree with you on IONITY I have found driving through France 3 times this year that all the HPCs work brilliantly on the autoroutes. Whether it was ENGIE, Fastned or whoever they were all in the PCM and all delivered 250-270kw. There are places where IONITY is on one side and a different company is on the other so you may have to vary it, Aire du Rely IONITY on the A26 South being one example but Fastned St Hilaire Cottes is on the Northbound side.

I found the ENGIE ones were sometimes at the better services with vaguely decent coffee and food e.g Boulangerie Paul.

 

[Tooney]

Looking forward to learning about your trip.
What are vignettes and emission stickers for?
And, don't let that security system immobilize your Taycan on the ferries.

 

[tigerbalm]

What are vignettes and emission stickers for?

Depending on the country: permission to enter city centres or drive on motorway network (usually where a country doesn't have individual tolls).

And, don't let that security system immobilize your Taycan on the ferries.

I am aware of those reports a month ago – but it always has operated reasonably for us – including over 20 hours+ on a ferry. I'll continue to use it as we have normally done so and will report any anomalies!

 

[laua]

Safe travels! I love the paper maps; I thought I was the only one still using paper!

 

[tigerbalm]

Safe travels! I love the paper maps; I thought I was the only one still using paper!

They really help with overall planning – and getting wider perspective. And they seem like a reasonable backup to have on the road.

A situation where they were helpful was a enforced detour recently in Norway: it was so much easier to hand the person who was organising the detour a paper map and ask for suggestions – then have them look at a PCM screen or iPhone.

 

[f1eng]

I find paper maps better for planning too.
My wife is a brilliant navigator and so having proper maps in the car is a no brainer.
Have a great time and I’m looking forward to reading your reports.

 

[Fcmbr]

FYI: the Swiss vignette is now also available as a digital purchase since last month (August 2023).

Very much looking forward to yet another one of your excellent trip reports.

 

[tigerbalm]

FYI: the Swiss vignette is now also available as a digital purchase since last month (August 2023).

Oh, that is good news - they are so annoying to take off. I just put mine on this morning .

Good to know it was for the last time!

 

[McgR]

FYI: the Swiss vignette is now also available as a digital purchase since last month (August 2023).

Very much looking forward to yet another one of your excellent trip reports.

Finally ! That is good news. Now if they can make the unwelt and criticair badges digital we can drive around Europe with just the bio and go badge (if they include Croatia)

 

[CarbonTax]

Sounds like a great excursion, tiger balm!

Pozdravuj má vlast pro mě! nádhernou Českou republiku

"Czechia" is an Anglicized nomenclature marketing failure
(Anglicized without the input of any English speaking research)

Without Slovakia, it's Česko or Czech republic.

 

[Fcmbr]

Oh, that is good news - they are so annoying to take off. I just put mine on this morning .

Good to know it was for the last time!

I bought a „Stanley Razor Edge Scraper“ from Amazon to take it off each year. Works like a charm! After you have scraped off the sticker apply some adhesive remover or rubbing alcohol to remove any glue residue and you‘re good to go.

 

[tigerbalm]

Day 1: Dublin (Ireland) -> Harwich (United Kingdom)

An early start to this trip as we leave our apartment at 06:30 for Dublin Port via the 4km Dublin Port Tunnel under the city. The roads are quiet at this time on a Saturday morning and we are in the check-in queue 15 minutes later.

The first two days of this road-trip are all about getting to the Black Forest in Germany as quickly and efficiently as possible.

This morning we take the first of two Stena Line ferries – firstly to Holyhead in Wales and then across the United Kingdom to pick-up the overnight Harwich ferry to the Netherlands.

While waiting in the queue, we remember to set Porsche Vehicle Tracking Tracking (PVTS+) to transport mode, with the aid of a comprehensive collection of pre-set Apple Reminders during our planning phase.

We board the Stena Adventurer on-time at 7:45.



Even though this is a short four hour crossing to Wales – it's a long day ahead – and we've booked a cabin to rest up in.

We grab breakfast as the ship pulls away from the quayside and starts its journey east.

After a smooth crossing we make our way down to the car decks as the ship is manoeuvring to its mooring point. The car's internet connection has already switched over to Vodafone UK – the days of this being a major drama behind us since the last major software release last year.

Leaving our apartment with a full charge the car touches United Kingdom soil with 94% as we make our way across Anglesea island on the familiar A55.

Britannia Bridge is a frequent chokepoint off the island but today there was little to no delay – a good omen.

Our first charging stop of this road-trip is at the always reliable IONITY Stafford where we grabbed a cold drink at the attached Starbucks.



We are experiencing perfect driving weather with temperatures between 22C and 25C with fluffy clouds, blue skies and plenty of sun.

Despite wishing to mostly focus on IONITY stops on this trip – we did decide in planning that we'd skip on IONITY Cambridge if we could – and head for Gridserve Braintree – due to the facilities available, guaranteed charging and it would allow us to reach the Port of Harwich with a higher state-of-charge.

This would allow us to run air-conditioning for the period we were queuing to board the ship and arrive in The Netherlands without having to seek out an immediate charge.

It took us a worrying five times to get the charger started. The Taycan didn't seem to like the Gridserve process ordering: insert the cable first, then tap card to pay, then charger would start.

Eventually, we tapped to pay first, then plugged in and that seemed to do the trick.

Another thumbs up for the much less complicated Plug & Charge with IONITY.



While at Braintree we had an interesting chat with some local police from the Essex constabulary on the practicalities of car chases using electric vehicles. They have a fully marked Tesla on trial, but are finding the battery drains worryingly quickly during high-speed pursuits.

They were interested to know if we had to "baby" our car to get range or could we "drive it like a Porsche".

We also used the services fast wifi to download some series from Apple TV+ onto our laptops for the ferry tonight.

As darkness falls, we reach the port of Harwich and enter the queue for boarding.

We'll grab some food on board and then bed down in our comfy cabin – while our Taycan and ourselves drift towards the Dutch coastline.

Today – thankfully – was a rather uneventful transit day – where all our plans worked out perfectly.

The days charging stats

Location	Start SOC %	End SOC %	kWh added	Cost	Duration	Ambient Temp	Battery Temp	Charger Type	Network
IONITY Stafford	33%	91%	54.51	€19.10	32 mins	23	45	DC 350 kW	IONITY
Gridserve Braintree	14%	92%	65.30	€55.66	34 mins	22.5	42	DC 350 kW	Gridserve

Today we did 580 km over 12:39 hours, with an average speed of 92 km/h, consuming 22.3 kWh/100km.

 

[Porsche-Guru]

Thanks for the write up…. happy travels.

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