The problem E-Shift solves
Electric cars are fast but boring to drive fast. That is not a controversial opinion anymore. The single-speed reduction gear that makes EVs so effortlessly quick also removes the rhythm of acceleration: no build toward redline, no shift event, no drama. Porsche knows this. Hyundai proved it with the Ioniq 5 N, and Porsche engineers have publicly credited the 5 N's system as "genuinely good, not merely a marketing novelty." The 2027 Taycan is Porsche's response.
E-Shift is an optional software system (standard on the Turbo GT) that divides the Taycan's power band into eight virtual gears, each with its own drag torque, shift feel, and a rev limiter at the top. Pull the right paddle on the GT Sport steering wheel and the car jolts forward with a perceptible "shift jerk." Miss the upshift and you hit the limiter, power plateauing until you pull the paddle. Lift off mid-corner in a lower gear and the car pushes back against forward momentum, replicating the overrun feel of a combustion car.
Two modes: manual, where you do the shifting, and automatic, where the system handles it. A mode switch on the steering wheel deactivates the whole thing if you want the linear power delivery back. The system requires the Sport Chrono package and either the Bose or Burmester sound system, because the reinterpreted Porsche Electric Sport Sound adapts in real time to the simulated gear and load.
The battery everyone should have been getting
The 105 kWh Performance Battery Plus is now standard on the Taycan, Taycan 4, and Taycan 4S. It was previously an option on those trims. WLTP range for the sedan hits up to 700 km; the Sport Turismo reaches 671 km. Maximum DC charge rate is 320 kW on 800-volt stations. A new battery state-of-health display lets owners monitor degradation over time.
On the charging port side, the passenger-side DC port switches to native NACS across most variants (the Turbo GT with Weissach Package keeps CCS). The driver-side AC port stays J1772. A CCS adapter is included in the box.
Infotainment
The new Porsche Digital Interaction system claims five times the computing power of the outgoing unit. It includes a 3D model of the car rendered in the owner's actual paint color, customizable widgets, 16+ color themes, and an AI-supported Voice Pilot that handles natural conversation. Wireless phone charging bumps to 25 watts via a magnetic ring mount. Over-the-air updates are now supported for the infotainment layer.
US pricing
| Variant | US MSRP |
|---|---|
| Taycan (RWD) | $111,900 |
| Taycan 4 | $116,000 |
| Taycan 4S | $131,800 |
| Taycan GTS | $157,000 |
| Taycan Turbo | $184,600 |
| Taycan Turbo S | $221,400 |
| Taycan Turbo GT | $243,700 |
All prices exclude the $2,350 destination fee. The base price is up $6,100 over the 2026 model year, largely because the bigger battery is now included rather than optional. The Cross Turismo appears to have been quietly dropped from the lineup.
Our take
E-Shift is a concession that driving engagement matters, and Porsche is making it without pretending otherwise. The Ioniq 5 N proved the concept works. Porsche's version is more granular (eight gears, gear-specific drag torque, configurable rev limiter) but the thesis is the same: give the driver something to do.
The battery standardization is the more consequential change. Selling an electric sedan at $105,800 with the smaller battery and then charging extra for the one that gave it competitive range was always a hard sell. Now every Taycan ships with 105 kWh and NACS, which is what the car should have looked like from the start.
Orders are open now. Deliveries begin fall 2026. See how the Taycan compares to the competition in our Porsche Taycan vs BMW i4 breakdown.
Photo: Porsche AG