About Face: 2027 Porsche Taycan Offers Fake Shifts and a Native NACS Port

If one electric vehicle has set high-performance standards, it has been the Porsche Taycan. The all-electric sedan is fun to drive and offers quick charging no matter which version you get. But for 2027, the Taycan “shifts gears,” virtually and metaphorically, delivering a new driving experience and giving owners another charging option with a native NACS port.

The Shifting Feeling

Yes, despite Porsche executives in the past saying they didn’t believe it was the proper approach for an electric car, the 2027 Porsche Taycan lets owners use paddle shifters behind the GT Sport steering wheel to provide the feeling of being in total control. The E-Shift system changes gears virtually, including simulated power changes from upshifts and downshifts, much like a PDK-equipped Porsche, complete with engine braking and a virtual rev limiter. The system also works like an automatic, as does PDK, with eight “gears” to shift through.

To make sure you’re bangin’ those simulated gears properly, the digital instrument cluster features a virtual tachometer with a gear indicator and shift light to let you know when to change “gears” and which “gear” you’re in.

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Not only do the visual indicators and physical feeling mimic those of a conventional combustion-engine car, Porsche promises, but the Electric Sport Sound system also syncs tonally with those shifts for proper audible feedback while driving. Don’t worry: Porsche says the sound tuning matches the Taycan model you’re driving, just as the exhaust note is different between the performance trims of a gas-powered Porsche.

And if you have the system but don’t want it active, you can simply deactivate it using the mode switch on the steering wheel.

The E-Shift system comes standard on the base version of the Taycan Turbo GT, while all other updated 2027 Taycan models have it available as an option. However, if you order the Taycan Turbo GT with the Weissach package, you miss out on the virtual shifter system.

Everyone Gets the Bigger Battery and NACS, Sorta

The fake gear shifts are not the only change coming to the 2027 Porsche Taycan. Owners finally get a native DC fast charging NACS port on the passenger-side front fender, while the J1772 port for AC charging remains located on the driver-side fender. But the Taycan Turbo GT with the Weissach package doesn’t have the NACS port at all. That package will only have a driver-side J1772-CCS port because the passenger-side fender isn’t designed to accommodate the new NACS port.

On top of all this, every version of the Taycan, Taycan 4, and Taycan 4S now come standard with the 105-kWh battery pack, better known as the Performance Battery Plus. This also gives all variants access to up to 320-kW DC fast charging at 800-volt stations, a very welcome change for 2027. The previous standard pack was only good for up to 225 kW and could take up to 22 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 percent. That will now take as little as 18 minutes on those 800-volt chargers, but 400-volt chargers and Tesla Superchargers will take 25 minutes or more. Porsche also includes a CCS-to-NACS adapter for CCS-only DC fast chargers.

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New Technologies Inside

The new virtual shifter system and paddles aren’t the only interior changes made to the 2027 Taycan. The new Porsche Communication Management system first seen on the Macan and Cayenne Electric is now applied to Porsche’s EV sport sedan. According to the Stuttgart automaker, it offers faster response times, smoother menu navigation, and improved system performance.

This also brings the new Porsche Digital Interaction operating system, which offers clearer graphics, minimalist icons, and dynamic animations to make the Taycan’s digital visuals cleaner and more modern. What’s interesting is the fact there will be a 3D representation of the car, including its color, that can be rotated freely and smoothly. This also allows the driver to operate key functions directly.

Another enhancement to the 2027 Taycan is the inclusion of Voice Pilot, an AI assistant that responds to natural conversation when prompted. This means that after you say, “Hey Porsche,” for your first question, every following question or request can be answered without repeating the key phrase. It also uses Google-supported point-of-interest search, can operate vehicle functions like opening the charging door, and offers a voice-based owner’s manual with tips and how-tos. And any infotainment updates will be delivered over the air and installed in the background after the owner confirms the update.

The final major change inside the 2027 Taycan’s cabin is its wireless phone charging system. While Porsche doesn’t explicitly say it meets Qi2 standards, the new charging tray supports magnetic ring attachment and can charge at up to 25 watts without needing a cord. Of course, your phone also needs to meet those requirements to get that maximum wireless charging rate.

The Weissach Package Can Also Get the Manthey Kit From the Factory

If you want the ultimate track-day 2027 Taycan, you want the Turbo GT with the Weissach package. It’s a no-nonsense, rear-seat-delete option. But not long ago, Porsche worked with well-known Manthey Racing to upgrade a Taycan and set a new record for electric executive cars with a time of 6 minutes, 55.53 seconds around the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

Manthey’s changes subsequently became available as a Porsche-sold and dealer-installed retrofit kit. It included aerodynamic upgrades, a new wheel-and-tire package, larger front brakes, and updated suspension and powertrain tuning. Now, you can get the same record-setting kit from the start on the 2027 Taycan Turbo GT with the Weissach package, eliminating the need to bring your car back to the dealer for installation later.

Coming This Fall

Order books for the 2027 Porsche Taycan and its variants are open now, but deliveries won’t begin until this fall. Pricing starts at $114,250 for the base Taycan, and Porsche said it will announce further pricing details later this year.