Did you know June 24 is International Women Drivers’ Day? Well now you do, just as I just found out today as well. And to celebrate it, an all-female team took an electrifying journey across Peninsular Malaysia in the Porsche Taycan Turbo S and the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo.
The group consisting of race driver Leona Chin, fashion designer Celest Thoi, restauranteur Jen Tang, jewelry designer Yinn Ooi, and content creator Beng Lim set off on their 12 hour long zero emissions Taycan trip across the North-South Expressway, through seven states and parallel trunk roads, accompanied by picturesque greenery landscapes and iconic landmarks.
After setting off from Johor, the group cruised along the long, straight roads of the initial stretch of the North-South Expressway. The first stop of the trip took place at Shell Recharge Pagoh. Here, the group had their first experience of the Porsche-Shell High Performance Charging (HPC) network, featuring 180 kW chargers, which the Taycan could utilise optimally thanks to its 800V system, which allows a charging time from 5 to 80 percent SoC (State of Charge) in just 22.5 minutes under ideal conditions. With just 10 minutes at a fast charger, more than 100km of range can easily be gained.
The road trip also saw the group entering the Titiwangsa mountain range, also known as the “spine of Peninsular Malaysia.”
While the Taycans had more than enough range to carry on with the journey, it was soon time for the group to recharge themselves. What better place than Melaka, with its yummy Peranakan cuisine. . The two Taycans navigated through traffic to Jonker Street via Ayer Keroh, as they were eventually rewarded for their willingness to brave the narrow Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock with elusive parking spaces in front of Casa Del Rio Melaka.
The Peranakan Mansion charmed the senses of our visiting group with its authentic décor, before satisfying their cravings for authentic Nyonya dishes. Other attractions like the Baba & Nyonya Heritage Museum, Chee Mansion and Malaqa House Museum were not to be missed, with the Taycan’s futuristic design language in innovative contrast and yet complementing the old-world charm of Melaka.
It was soon time to depart from the “Venice of the East,” for a quick stop at Shell Seremban and back on the North-South highway for the longest single stretch of the journey – past Kuala Lumpur all the way up to Perak in the North.
With the terrain gradually changing around them, the group made their way through Negeri Sembilan to the bustling capital, Kuala Lumpur. In the Taycan Cross Turismo, the passengers took in the views of the Twin Towers and other skyscrapers through the panoramic roof, as they enjoyed the additional headroom with plenty of space for their belongings thanks to a maximum luggage compartment capacity of more than 1,200 litres. In no time, the city was behind them.
After passing by the renowned Ipoh signage by the highway, the cars made their final charging stop at Shell Simpang Pulai. Having enjoyed iced lattes to cool off in the warm weather, it was back into the saddle as the group journeyed northward through Perak. Towering limestone formations greeted them on winding stretches of road, allowing the two Taycans to show off their driving dynamics and sportiness.
The journey drew to an end as both the Taycans crossed the iconic Penang Bridge under the night sky, with the Andaman Sea shimmering under the lights of the bridge. It was a fitting end to the cross-country journey in the Taycan Turbo S and Taycan Cross Turismo. Fond memories were created, and dreams were shared, as the first all-electric Porsche showed that it is more than just a capable road trip companion