Quantifying the State of the Art of Electric Powertrains in Battery Electric Vehicles: Comprehensive Analysis of the Two-Speed Transmission and 800 V Technology of the Porsche Taycan

Abstract

In the automotive industry, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) represent the future of individual mobility. To establish a long-term market presence, innovative vehicle and powertrain concepts are essential, and therefore, identifying the most promising concepts is crucial to determine where to focus research and development further. Academia plays a significant role in this identification process; however, researchers often face restricted access to data from the industry, and identifying different technological approaches is often connected to significant costs. We present a comprehensive study of the Porsche Taycan Performance Battery Plus, which integrates two technological advancements: the first series-production implementation of a two-speed transmission in an electric vehicle allowing for high acceleration while reaching high top speeds and a 800 V battery system architecture providing more efficient charging capabilities. This study details vehicle dynamics, electric powertrain efficiencies, their impact on vehicle level, and the two technological advancements. This work aims to provide researchers access to vehicle dynamometer and real-world data from one of the most advanced and innovative battery electric sports cars. This allows for further analysis of cutting-edge technologies that have yet to reach the mass market. In addition to providing researchers with this study’s results, all data utilized in this study will be made available as open-access, enabling individual use of test data for parameter identification and the development of simulation models.