When you think about improving a car’s fuel efficiency — whatever that fuel might be — there are a few steps that come to mind, usually including mechanical and electrical efficiency. (Use a higher octane! Use the air conditioner less frequently!) One advantage that electric vehicles may well have over their internal combustion counterparts is that they can get an extended range through a simple software update.
Engadget reports that Porsche has just announced a software update for its Taycan EVs which will have the effect of adding around 31 miles to its range. (The specifics depend somewhat on whether you’re measuring its range according to its EPA rating or its WLTP counterpart.) As the article notes, this update has the effect of making a 2020 Taycan as powerful as one from the current model year.
As The Drive’s article on the update reveals, this is an update that will need to be installed at a dealership, and it should take about a day to fully install.
Porsche isn’t the only automaker to use software updates to improve the range of their electric vehicles. Earlier this year, Volkswagen announced an update for its ID. electric vehicles, which improved the efficiency at which they charged. Tesla software updates have taken steps to enable a longer driving range.
Generally, cars’ software upgrades are often associated with entertainment system changes or new visual options. As these automakers demonstrate, however, there’s a lot more than that that can be accomplished with a software update.
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