Porsche previews 2020 Taycan EV

The Taycan will make its debut in September 2019.

Porsche has released a gallery of dark teaser images that show a pre-production Taycan wearing a glow-in-the-dark wrap. Previewed by the 2015 Mission E concept, the Taycan will stand out as the German firm's first series-produced electric car when it makes its global debut in September of 2019.

The images confirm stylists have toned down the Mission E's design to bring it in line with other members of the Porsche family, like the Cayenne, the Panamera, and the 911. It's immediately recognizable as a Porsche thanks to a low hood, and swept-back headlights each fitted with four individual LED inserts. It features a fastback-like roof line, while thin rear lights that create a visual link with the newest 911.

Images aside, Porsche didn't reveal new information about the Taycan. It stressed the model will be offer "repeatable performance," meaning it will be able to sprint from zero to 60 mph over and over again, and it will be compatible with a new, Porsche-specific 800-volt quick-charging system that will deliver about 250 miles of driving range in 15 minutes. Porsche will offer buyers three years of free charging on the Electrify America network in a bid to convince them to go electric.

August Achleitner, the head of the 911 line since 2001, promises the sedan will be a true Porsche even though it won't burn a drop of gasoline.

"What characterizes a pure-bred Porsche is the fact that it always actively involves its driver. And this philosophy is contained in the Taycan, just as much as in the 911. The adjustment period from one vehicle to the next takes a few minutes. If even that," he stated.

Porsche will unveil the Taycan during an event held in September, likely right before the 2019 edition of the Frankfurt auto show. The first examples are expected to reach American showrooms shortly after. The company's line-up of electric cars will grow in late 2020 when it begins building the production version of the Mission E Cross Turismo concept, and both models will be joined by a battery-powered Macan during the early 2020s. The current, gasoline-powered Macan will remain.

Over 20,000 customers have already manifested an interest in buying a Taycan. This bodes well for Porsche, and it should help it reach its goal of having electrified models represent about 50 percent of its sales by 2025.