Porsche recently collaborated with a group of empowering women that saw them embark on an electrifying long-distance journey across Malaysia in two Porsche Taycans and zero emissions.
Comprising racing driver Leona Chin, fashion designer Celest Thoi, restauranteur Jen Tang, jewellery designer Yinn Ooi and content creator Beng Lim, the group undertook the 12-hour expedition from Johor Bahru to Penang in the comfort of the Taycan Turbo S and the adventure-ready Taycan Cross Turismo.
The Taycan is well-equipped for long distance driving, especially following software updates in 2022 that saw its electric range boosted through the decoupling of the front electric motor, in combination with other optimisation upgrades.
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Depending on the driver as well as the driving conditions, the Taycan’s range spans between 370 - 512 km on the highway. Of course, purely city driving increases that up to 630 km. On the other hand, the Taycan Cross Turismo’s range is 389 - 490 km and can go up to 616 km if kept within city limits.
The route saw them take the North-South Expressway through seven states and stretches of parallel trunk roads to take in picturesque greenery landscapes and iconic landmarks. Shell Recharge Pagoh was the first stop and the group’s first experience of the Porsche - Shell High Performance Charging (HPC) network.
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Interestingly, the HPC network has charging stations strategically located for smooth electric journeys along Malaysia’s North-South Expressway and beyond into Singapore and Thailand, making it the longest EV-ready highway route in Southeast Asia.
As the first production vehicle with 800-volt architecture over the usual 400 volts, charging from 5 to 80 percent SoC (state of charge) only took 22.5 minutes with ideal conditions. In fact, just 10 minutes at a fast charger gives the Taycans over 100 km of range.
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From there, although the Taycan twins still had plenty of charge, the ladies themselves had to recharge and Malacca was the ideal stop. The Taycans navigated through traffic to the iconic Jonker Street that saw the Taycan’s futuristic design language in innovatively contrast yet complement the old-world charm of Malaccan attractions like the Baba & Nyonya Heritage Museum, Chee Mansion and Malaqa House Museum.
Next up was a quick stop at Shell Seremban before the longest single stretch of the journey that took them past Kuala Lumpur all the way up to Perak.
After passing the renowned Ipoh signage by the highway, the cars made their final charging stop at Shell Simpang Pulai. While the drivers enjoyed iced lattes to cool off in the warm weather, the cars took a breather as well to charge up.
The final stop sae everyone arrive in Penang safely but not before crossing the iconic Penang Bridge to complete the Taycans demonstration more than just a capable road trip companion, but a sports car with an electrifying soul.
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