Base rear-wheel-drive 2021 Porsche Taycan coming to US for $81,250

Another new Porsche Taycan variant has been announced, but it’s not the wagon-like Cross Turismo model. No, that’s been delayed due to how popular the Taycan’s proving to be. The latest U.S. Taycan model drops the price of entry to Porsche’s electric car.

On Tuesday the German automaker announced the 2021 Porsche Taycan rear-wheel-drive base model joins the U.S. lineup and costs $81,250 including destination.

Aside from the cheaper price, the base version of the Porsche Taycan is the only rear-wheel-drive model in the U.S. lineup. This will change the driving dynamics of the benchmark-setting electric car, due to approximately 200 pounds of weight being removed from the front of the car.

The rear-wheel-drive Taycan features the same 79.2- and 93.4-kwh lithium-ion battery pack options as the more expensive, and more powerful Taycan 4S, and can charge at a rate of up to 225 kw and 270 kw respectively.

2021 Porsche Taycan rear-wheel drive

The rear electric motor is shared with the all-wheel-drive 4S model along with a 600-amp inverter and 2-speed transaxle transmission. The smaller battery pack provides power for 402 hp and 254 lb-ft of torque while the larger pack increases output to 469 hp and 263 lb-ft of torque.

No matter the battery pack size Porsche said the rear-wheel-drive Taycan will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds on its way to a top speed of 143 mph. It can cover the quarter mile in 13.7 seconds with the smaller battery pack, and that time drops to 13.5 seconds with the larger pack.

It’ll take a keen eye to spot the differences between a rear- and all-wheel-drive Taycan. The silver 19-inch wheels hide black 6-piston front and 4-piston rear brakes, which are the same found on the all-wheel-drive 4S models except those models feature red calipers and glass black spokes on the wheels. Upgraded brakes and larger 20- and 21-inch wheels are optional.

Inside the base Taycans mimic their more powerful all-wheel drive brethren with a digital gauge cluster and touchscreen infotainment system along with a touchscreen for vehicle and climate controls.

The rear-wheel-drive 2021 Porsche Taycan is on sale now, with deliveries to start this spring.