OTA updates for Porsche Taycan announced

A number of upgrades will improve performance, range and experience

By Cape Maceda Aguila

PORSCHE has apparently had another breakthrough with its first purely electric model, the Taycan. Since it was introduced in late 2019, the model has sold around 75,000 units globally. It can be said that the Taycan has proven that the iconic sports car manufacturer is a (profitable) movement in the electric vehicle (EV) – in the same way that the Cayenne and Macan confirmed its entry into the SUV segment as a lucrative decision.

Now the Porsche Taycan is getting a comprehensive and practical update. In a recent online press conference, the company announced the availability of a “comprehensive (software) update” — one that would essentially bring all the variants currently on the way “up to the status of a 2023 model year.” This is achieved via an over-the-air (OTA) software update, depending on where the vehicle has been sold.

What do the new updates promise for Taycan owners? A number of benefits include an increase in powertrain efficiency plus “new functions and improvements in Porsche Communication Management (PCM), Porsche Connect and assistance systems.” Also included is the ability to have individual function equipment unlocked after purchase (function on demand, FoD) – further unlocking its over-the-air (OTA) update capability. Perhaps best of all, this update can be done for free. However, customers are encouraged to bring their devices to an authorized service center first because there will be work to be done on site.

Said Taycan Model Line Vice President Kevin Giek, “This promotion will allow our customers to benefit from the continuous further development of the Taycan. We have optimized the model line to a large extent in almost every respect since 2019… New features have been added and other has been revised or tweaked to further improve the customer experience. Following this update, anyone who has driven a Taycan from early in the car’s production will be pleasantly surprised by how much has evolved on the vehicle side since then. Internally, Porsche refers to this as the ‘update ‘, because the 2023 model year, which started in July 2022, bears the letter P.”

For four-wheel drive models, the update will enable a greater range – through a partial disengagement of the front wheels in certain situations. In “Normal” and “Range” driving modes, “the front electric motor is almost completely disconnected and de-energized.” Both axles will be free of drive torque when the Taycan is idling or at rest. The move can drastically reduce frictional drag losses. The driver can monitor this on the vehicle’s central display as an energy flow indicator. The vehicle’s ability to recover energy has also been “optimized,” Porsche said, even if the driver changes the driving program.

Another area that benefits is thermal management through “better conditioning of the battery, especially at low outdoor temperatures.” The result? The Taycan can be quickly charged more frequently overall and over a wider range of battery charge levels (SoC). “For example, the waste heat from the electrical components is used even more than before to temper the battery. For 2020 and 2021 model year Taycan models, this enables greater range and shorter charging times,” Porsche reported.

Porsche Communication Management (PCM) and Porsche Connect also get new functions and features – highlighted by a colorful tile design on the home screen and greater ease of use. On select models, the update improves voice control and offers Spotify and Android Auto in wireless iterations. In relevant markets, charging stations can be filtered and selected in the navigation system based on charging capacity. The 2021 MY Taycan also has an updated head-up display with an improved display of the navigation map.

Some assistance systems have also been upgraded. The ParkAssist function now works with a greater range, and the Taycan’s ability to find available parking spaces has been improved — with smaller spaces now offered as an option.

Meanwhile, the 22 kW on-board charger is now also available for retrofitting, but at the owner’s expense. The retrofit will charge the battery significantly faster.

We reached out to Porsche Philippines about this development. “OTA updates are still not applicable at the moment because the country’s telecommunication capacity is not yet compatible with the system Porsche uses. What Porsche Philippines does is proactively inform our customers of any software update issued by the factory and we can do that for their vehicles on site. Porsche Philippines has been doing this for the Taycan (and all nameplates) since the model arrived in the country. This is just one of the many benefits of buying a Porsche from the authorized dealer. Gray market operators have not access to official update notifications from the factory.”

Local Taycan owners are therefore encouraged to bring their units directly to a Porsche Philippines facility to have the updates done.