Tackle the North East 250 in the five-star Porsche Taycan Car News

The rain started to fall as we continued, the Taycan’s all-wheel drive system was not disturbed by increasingly wetter conditions. We don’t stop at Braemar as we are planning a break here on the way back, so we follow the River Dee to the vast royal estate of Balmoral before heading towards Tomintoul on the A939 and another long stretch of moorland and peaks, in passing through the small ski center of Lecht. The scenery is slightly less spectacular than around Glenshee, but the road is calm enough that we pretty much have it on our own. Unsurprisingly, the Taycan’s range display decreases faster than its odometer adds kilometers. The need for fresh electrons is not pressing, with 80 miles to empty, but it is clear that we will need to recharge well before our scheduled overnight stop in Banff. Beyond Tomintoul the road becomes narrower and busier as we enter single malt country, where passing villages become a call to famous distilleries, Glenlivet, Ballindalloch and Glenfarclas quickly succeeding each other. We stop at Craigellachie, where Dewar’s Distillery is pretty much in sight of one of the few DC chargers available in the area.

Before starting the trip, a former Highland EV-er warned me about the need to get an RFID card from ChargePlace Scotland to unlock local chargers. It turned out to be a close affair. Despite ordering the card two weeks before the start of the trip, it reached me on the day of my departure. But without that we would have been at a serious stalemate, given the near total lack of alternatives and the fact that ChargePlace Scotland does not have an app capable of unlocking its chargers. (The company says it’s possible for an account holder to access a charger by calling their call center. Or, if that doesn’t, presumably sending a telegram or a carrier pigeon.)

Craigellachie’s 50kW charger adds range at a slower rate, but after spinning a sandwich and coffee at the gas station for 50 minutes it gave 38kWh and cost £ 11.03, the cheapest half tank I have ever paid for in a Porsche.

The A95 which takes us north for the next stretch along the Spey Valley is busier and slower, giving the chance to experience the other side of Taycan’s character. The refinement of cruising is almost as impressive as the brutality of its short-term performance, the silence of the cabin, and the smoothness of the air suspension for a car capable of such athleticism. With the optional adaptive cruise management distances, it’s hard to name another car that would make low-intensity use so easy.