Gary Zhou 
A software update for the first electric Porsche Taycans is on the way, but it won’t be easy.
When in their own garage, drivers would not be able to press a button on the in-car panel, link to Wi-Fi, or upgrade the car. Rather, the $100,000+ electric car must be taken to a Porsche dealer. If an appointment has been made, the owner can expect to be without a vehicle for two business days.
The update is free and brings the EV’s features up to par with those of the newer 2021 Taycans, including quicker acceleration and more efficient battery charging, as well as enhancements to the navigation system and wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity.
When the Taycan update was revealed on Tuesday, however, Tesla fans were quick to point out that this was a far cry from the company’s standard over-the-air (OTA) software update.
Tesla has provided free upgrades to its vehicles for years without asking owners to bring their cars in. Smaller bug fixes are regularly sent to owners, and Tesla also provides over-the-air updates for major overhauls, such as when Spotify, Netflix, and “Caraoke” entertainment services were introduced.
Most Porsche Taycans will be OTA compatible after this first update, according to Porsche. As a result, the process will be sped up in the future. However, unlike Tesla’s previous OTA software updates, there’s no guarantee that the next one will be free.
Regardless, both Tesla supporters and Taycan detractors used the opportunity to ridicule the old-school, in-person update.
Tesla’s next major software update, known as Version 11, is expected to be released shortly. A new interface can be seen in some leaked images from Reddit.
