Porsche Taycan is the first all electric battery driven sports car from the German manufacturer. Porsche has built legendary sports cars, the most notable and lover one being the Porsche 911. The Taycan now holds Guinness World Record for the longest drift by an electric car.
The Porsche Taycan holds several records, like the 24 hours endurance run over 3,425 Km on the high speed track at Nardo. The best timing in it’s class around the “Ring”, Nürburgring-Nordschleife, timed at 7 minutes and 42 seconds, and 26 sprints from standing start to 200 Km/h at an air field in Lahr.
To add to this impressive list of records, the rear wheel drive Taycan, which is already on sale in China completed the longest drift by an electric car at the Porsche Experience Centre (PEC) Hockenheimring. Porsche Experience Centre instructor Dennis Retera completed 210 laps of the 200 m long drift circle at the centre. The record was achieved covering a total distance of 42.171 km over 55 minutes at an average speed of 46 km/h. During the record attempt, the car went around the drift circle with its wheels pointing in a direction away from the direction of the circle.
The ring was irrigated and thus reduced the grip further. Dennis Retera said that the drive was grueling as he had to give full concentration for 55 minutes. He said, that as the ring was irrigated, there was less grip and hence he used the Taycan’s sensitive steering to maintain the drift rather than using the throttle which is the norm.
With the stability control pack off, the high torque and rear wheel drive system of the Taycan allows for easily catching a drift. Dennis Retera said, “Sufficient power is always available. The low centre of gravity and the long wheelbase ensure stability. The precise design of the chassis and steering allows for perfect control at all times, even when moving sideways”.
For the record run, the team from Guinness Records, headed by Joanne Brent meticulously documented the record with a whole range of technical aids and other independent experts. Before the commencement of the record attempt, a local land surveyor measured the 80-metre diameter area of the Porsche Experience Centre with millimetre precision. The car attempting the record had GPS and yaw rate sensors within the vehicle for documentation purposes. A camera was installed on the roof of the track’s control tower, with which the record ride was filmed.
The car was inspected by Denise Ritzmann. She confirmed the standard and roadworthy condition of the pre-series Taycan with rear-wheel drive on behalf of testing organisation DEKRA. Denise herself was European drifting champion in 2018 and 2019.
The Transport Journal 