2023 Porsche Taycan Range, Software Upgrade Coming To All Model Years Via Update
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2023 Porsche Taycan Range, Software Upgrade Coming to All Model Years via Update
Porsche on Tuesday announced all of the hardware tweaks and software updates coming to its Taycan electric performance sedans and sport wagons for the 2023 model year. The new software promises faster charging, infotainment improvements and even a modest range bump. However, owners who got on the Taycan train early shouldn't feel left out, because the bigger news here is that these new software revisions are backwards compatible with previous model year variants via a dealer-installed update.
2023 Taycan hardware updates
The updates on the hardware side are fairly minimal, mostly applying to optional accessories and equipment. All 2023 Taycan models outfitted with the panoramic glass roof now feature the automaker's Variable Light Control electrochromatic shade and will also feature preparation to accommodate Porsche's Roof Transport System of rails, crossbars and cargo boxes. Owners can also have their EV delivered with a preinstalled wiring harness, ready for installation of the Porsche Dashcam. The front and rear camera system is available through Porsche's Tequipment range of official dealer-sourced accessories.
Meanwhile, the 2023 Taycan's 19-inch single-color Aero wheel will be replaced with a new polished and painted Taycan S Aero 19-inch wheel design.
The Taycan's thermal management and powertrain control system updates promise more range and more consistent charging speeds.
PorschePowertrain and thermal management improvements
New powertrain management software allows for more liberal disengagement of the front motor in the Taycan's Normal and Range drive modes, which helps to reduce parasitic drag while cruising. Porsche tells us that it expects this tweak to contribute to an approximately 50-kilometer boost (about 31 miles) to the European WLTP range estimate for dual-motor configurations. The automaker does not yet have an estimate as to how this will translate to our EPA numbers here in the US.
The updated Taycan will also be able to precondition its battery pack more quickly and to a higher temperature in preparation for a charging session. This will allow for an optimized charging curve when plugging in with the battery at a high state of charge and, hopefully, more consistently delivering the Taycan's claim of a 5% to 80% DC fast charge in under 23 minutes.
Quality of life updates include retaining the user-selected Recuperation setting switching between drive modes and energy flow information added to the all-wheel drive indicator in the digital instrument cluster.
The PCM infotainment suite gets a visual overhaul with more colorful graphics and a revised HUD.
PCM and Porsche Connect features
Speaking of the dashboard, Porsche's Porsche Communication Management infotainment system is getting a visual overhaul with new colorful tiles on the home screen, tweaks all over the user interface and an updated design for the head-up display.
Taycan drivers will also now be able to filter based on power output when searching for a charging station using the onboard navigation. This should make it easier to find fast 270-kilowatt stations while avoiding being stuck at relatively slow, but more common 50-kW plugs.
Android phone users can now leave their USB cable at home thanks to PCM's new wireless Android Auto connectivity. (The infotainment already supported wireless Apple CarPlay and continues to support wired versions of both technologies as well.) There's also new Spotify integration for people who'd rather use the Taycan's onboard data connection for streaming.
2023 Taycans (and older models that have received the upgrade) will be over-the-air updatable, making future fixes and updates more seamless.
PorscheBackwards compatible, over-the-air updates
You can't download new wheels, but Porsche is making the 2023 PCM revisions and powertrain software updates available to 2020, 2021 and 2022 model year Taycan variants. Owners will receive a notification -- likely via mail -- from Porsche when the software is available and will be able to return to their dealership or service center to receive the update.
Expect the upgrade to take up to a day, which seems like a long time, but that accounts for the oldest 2020 model year models getting a bigger, more comprehensive update than, say, a newer 2022 Taycan. Plus, we're talking about software controlling the core operation of the $88,150 Taycan's powertrain, so maybe it's better to take their time and get it right.
With the new software in place, all model years will become capable of over-the-air updates -- thanks to optimizations to the software's interface with the car's various control units -- which should make future service visits for new features and fixes a far less common occurrence.
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