Porsche Taycan and my mother’s smile

“Next time you pick me up, please use the same car!” My mother laughs after a 13-hour drive from Augsburg in Bavaria to Sarajevo. It was her first long journey in an electric car. And in a Porsche Taycan Turbo with 680 hp to boot. That was in April 2023.

Even though I have been driving this route for a few years now in various e-cars for testing purposes, this trip was something special for me. It’s the route I’ve known since I was a child. Back then, we drove around 1080 kilometers from Germany to our relatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina with my mom and dad. And back again after the vacations. I remember playing light puzzles with my dad at night during the journey as a child. Recognizing the car by its headlights and tail lights. I was particularly fond of the round Porsche lights.

My father used to laugh and say to me: “When you grow up, you’ll be driving a Porsche! Now that I’ve grown up, I can drive various Porsche models. And my father is there every time, even though he left Mother Earth seven years ago. We have many fond memories of our long vacation trips to the south. Especially for my mother. The first trip to Sarajevo after Dad was no longer with us was very difficult for her. And even after many years, not much has changed. Whenever my sister or I drove her, we knew that it would be tearful at some point.

“We are born of love. Love is our mother.”

Rumi

But the Porsche Taycan changed everything! It was the first ride with her that put a permanent smile back on her face! “That was the best long drive in a car so far! It’s comfortable, quiet and beautiful too!” At her request, many photos were taken of her at the Hyperchargers, which she sent to all her relatives! My Lela drives me to Germany in an electric Porsche!

This year I promised to pick her up again in Germany. Will it be the same car, she asks me with a laugh. No, it won’t be the same. I wasn’t even lying. All right, maybe a little! As a surprise, it will again be a Taycan, but this time the Porsche Taycan 4S in the stylish Crayon paint finish and sexy leather interior in the color Blackberry. “But it has less horsepower than the Turbo,” explains Armin Mulovic, long-time Brand Manager at Porsche Sarajevo and a valued colleague. I don’t care. Thanks to Overboost Power with Launch Control, up to 420 kW / 571 hp are possible. That’s more than enough for the German autobahn, and at 250 hp the car is locked anyway.

I set off from Sarajevo. And I am shockingly in love! The interior is awesome! The blackberry color is the best I’ve ever seen in a car! I especially love the combination with the matt golden yellow of the door handles and the direction switch! The 16.8-inch curved display with the typical Porsche round shape is clearly focused on me as the driver, followed by a central 10.9-inch infotainment display and another optional display for the front passenger, which form a visual unit with the interior. The panoramic roof conveys an additional feeling of freedom.

“Only mothers can think about the future, because they give birth to it with their children!”

Maxim Gorky

Despite its all-wheel drive, the Taycan seems to glide, even fly, over the road! True to the motto: why drive when you can fly! I hardly notice a big difference to the turbo model that I tested a year earlier. Acceleration from 0 to 100 is a mere four seconds with a maximum torque of 640 Nm. The drive to Augsburg went by in a flash. Of course, I didn’t have the average range of 415 kilometers, I was on the highway most of the time. But I had an average consumption of 25 kWh/100 km. Absolutely fine, the temperatures were low and the heating was in continuous operation. Charging time with Hypercharger: from 10% to 80% in approx. 17 minutes! Total number of charging stops: four times in total. Average range at 100%: 360 km.

Now, after my arrival, I have to hide for two days so that mom doesn’t discover the surprise. Officially, I’m off to appointments. My sister calls. “Hey, I heard you’re picking mom up and taking her to Sarajevo! I have a few days off and would like to come with you. Do you have room in the car?” Sure, I have! “Which e-beast are you driving?” “In a Porsche Taycan 4S. Please don’t tell mom! It’s supposed to be a surprise!” “Sure, I won’t say anything. But I’m unlikely to have room in a Porsche for the long drive,” she replies thoughtfully. “Yes, you will,” I laugh. “Anyway, even if it’s cramped in the back, as I know it is in other Porsche models, I’m coming with you! It’s sure to be a cool Sidro women’s trip!”

“With 407 liters in the rear and an additional 84 liters in the front, the trunk is also completely sufficient for the luggage of three ladies“

It will definitely be the same with my sister Sabina! The younger of us simply has more spirit than me and a sense of humor that blows everyone away. Then she gets in touch again: “What about the trunk? There’s not much room, is there?” I have to laugh again. Yes, there’s enough for all three of us ladies. “Never mind, I’ll just put my bag on my lap!” Laughs and hangs up. Sabina doesn’t know what I know. At 4963 mm long and 2144 mm wide including wing mirrors, the five-seater Taycan 4S is not only large, but also spacious. And although it’s a sports car, the seats can be comfortably raised quite high so that my mother can also get in and out without any problems. With 407 liters in the rear and an additional 84 liters in the front, the trunk is also perfectly adequate for the luggage of three ladies!

The day of departure for Sarajevo has arrived. I can hardly wait to see my mother’s face when I pick her up. My sister and she are already at the door waiting for me. As expected, her eyes light up! “You lied to me! It’s the same one,” beams Mom. “No, it’s a different model!” My sister films my arrival: “That’s amazing, this thing even has a sexy sound! Like a jet!” She folds the front seat forward to get in the back: “Oh, there’s so much space! I can even work there!” And she has already taken out her MacBook and is grinning from ear to ear. She’s amazed at how much legroom she has! Mom laughs and looks at the classy flashing cockpit: “Oh, I’ve got a screen too! What can I do with it?” “You can select music or see how we’re driving on the map!”

“When women behave like women, they are accused of being inferior. When women behave like men, they are accused of behaving like men.”

Simone de Beauvoir

Sabina is delighted with the ride: “You hear nothing and feel nothing. It’s as if I’m sitting in an airplane that flies quietly. Can I take a ride too?” Of course she can! She is also an enthusiastic driver and regularly covers longer distances. “I have to admit that I imagined driving an electric car to be different. Boring. But it’s not at all. Above all, it’s relaxed, even when you’re driving in Sport+ mode!” Of course I let them test the overboost! Thanks to the all-wheel drive and all the safety systems, the Porsche always stays on track without the adrenaline levels dropping. It’s also the first time she’s operated a Charger. I let her do everything herself. “Oops, that’s it? That was really simple and straightforward!” Even removing the plug-in is no problem for her. “The car is perfect for women and I think they understand the Taycan better than men,” my sister tells me. I grin and ask her what she means. It’s as if she’s reading my mind: “Well, it’s elegant yet restrained, powerful yet quiet, big yet not intrusive. Like women, whether visibly successful or not”. She also tells me that she had many prejudices about electric mobility, which have now disappeared with the Taycan.

Yes, there are still many prejudices. I notice this myself time and again in conversations. Mostly men who have never sat in an e-car know everything better and demonize electromobility. As a woman who drives tens of thousands of kilometers a year in an e-car, they don’t believe me. Because of their horror stories, women don’t dare to drive an electric car, let alone own one. But Sabina is right. Women in particular will understand the concept of the Porsche Taycan! You don’t need a loud sound to attract attention and show strength! How often is it said that behind a successful man there is a woman who has his back! Finally, times have changed! Her back is now strengthened by the sports seat of the Porsche Taycan. Despite its quiet but unmistakable sound, it is a real eye-catcher. Its movement in Comfort or Sport+ mode is influenced by the passion of the driver, who emphasizes her statement that emanates from a Porsche through the sustainability aspect!

“Different times have finally dawned! Your back is now strengthened by the sports seat of the Porsche Taycan “

We are almost there. We talk and laugh a lot. Mom’s eyes are shining all the time. Sabina leans over to us: “Did you know that this is our first trip to Sarajevo together since our dad left Mother Earth?” No, I didn’t know that. Mom is thoughtful and replies: “If only Dad could experience this ride in an electric Porsche!” Sabina and I smile. He’s always there for us. We are grateful that Mum is no longer crying, but has a smile on her lips as she runs her hand over the blackberry-colored leather cockpit.

Coco Chanel once said: “I don’t want to live a life, I want to live dreams!” One of my dreams was to see my mom happy again. And Dad, you were right! When I grow up, I’ll drive a Porsche! And another one that will make mom laugh again when she’s traveling!

Thanks to Porsche Centar Sarajevo for their trust in me as a woman, as well as their unconditional support in allowing me to pass on my experiences with electromobility! to pass on my experience!