Do I really need to pay $27/month to see my Taycan’s range on my phone?

[tomdfw1]

There are many more services than simply range....for now though no other app can access this data.

Traffic, timers, profiles, climate, weather, remote horn, locking, locate, Internet radio, map updates etc

Fundamentally you don't need it but please don't dramatise what you lose as it will confuse others (newer forum members).

Not sure I understand your response...but at least most of those features your listed are lost without subscription. You can't do remote horn, locking, locate, internet radio, map updates and not sure about weather, climate, profiles or timer but I don't see them in the app either.

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[W1NGE]

Not sure I understand your response...but at least most of those features your listed are lost without subscription. You can't do remote horn, locking, locate, internet radio, map updates and not sure about weather, climate, profiles or timer but I don't see them in the app either.

That's my point, you lose all of these and those not on the app are visible in the PCM with an active subscription.

Suggest to get better informed and read the list of services applicable to Porsche Connect.

 

[tomdfw1]

That's my point, you lose all of these and those not on the app are visible in the PCM with an active subscription.

Suggest to get better informed and read the list of services applicable to Porsche Connect.

Suggest you be more clear on what you post and less rude to those posting, the original poster was not being over dramatic.

 

[Gino]

Bleh don't annoy us to save maybe 27$. Do it or don’t do it. Enjoy life, life is too short to start a thread about 27$

If I had to choose between driving a Bolt to get free app connectivity and driving a Taycan with @$27/month I would gladly $27/month so I wouldn’t have to suffer through the experience of driving a Bolt, Volt, etc.
For some these bare bones EVs work for them but everyone gets to make this choice. It is what it is and I feel what I get for $27/month in conjunction with the most beautiful 4 door EV sedan with blistering performance you can own. Second to none.

 

[DanK]

Wow, a lot of interesting replies here. I don't understand how some folks can say "Well, if you don't charge, they'll just bake it into the cost" and then others say "it's a six figure car, you can afford it" and finally "well at least it's not a Bolt where it's provided for free".

It's pathetic that Porsche is charging this when a much cheaper car can include it. Doubly pathetic that it's $27/mo - about a dollar a day to tell me "your doors are unlocked, yep, I'm updated, here's the nice checkmark saying I've updated, oh wait, that was me talking to the servers, not the car, they're locked, sorry to make you worry." Triply pathetic that they can't get the car to connect over WiFi so folks have to "hope" that cellular works.

But, honestly, that's about par-for-the-course for my Taycan experience. The car is beautiful and drives phenomenally well, but the company behind it really makes some weird decisions and prioritizations of effort.

 

[Isaac]

Appreciate the answers from the others. Not so much from the person that told me to stop complaining about being charged for something many other automakers offer for free.

I'm with you - complete waste of money. I junked it until I started having 12v flat battery problems. Frankly upto that point did not miss it at all. Its ridiculous to bundle everything together . Being able to see the charge status given that you might be away from the car can (depending on public use) be important. I charge 99% at home and therefore can monitor via the battery charger (which is essentially free). ONly flat battery problems changed this. BTW Porsche put in writing that they did not support a CTEK 12 volt charger - even though its made specifically for this type of battery and avoids over/under charging....

 

[tigerbalm]

Outside of that, none of these features are special enough to be 27/month in this day and age.

At least in Europe a decent part of the cost is to cover supplying an eSIM that works in 30+ countries. With native Apple Music and/or Spotify streaming, potentially gigabytes of data a month.

 

[eddieterry]

BTW Porsche put in writing that they did not support a CTEK 12 volt charger - even though its made specifically for this type of battery and avoids over/under charging....

Yes / Porsche use 90A Deutronic chargers which have the ability to control current levels.
However I have not had any issues with using the CTEK Lithium charger that specifically states that it is for the LifeP04.

Since last winter I have not needed to use it & when asked why the probs with 12 Volt my local Porsche specialist said in March “The recent increase of 12V battery issues over the last few months is due to various OTA (Over the air) updates being pushed by PAG but also monitoring of HV batteries for an imminent software campaign for improving battery self-diagnostics.”

 

[2P168S]

I understand the sentiment, but what you are describing is the Porsche business model which is well known and understood.

You rationalized paying thousands of dollars for options that would come standard in a Camry or Accord when you bought your car (heated seats, surround view camera, adaptive cruise, etc, etc). Yet you still bought the Porsche instead of the Toyota or the Honda.

It seems arbitrary that when it comes to digital services, suddenly you are aghast that Porsche would charge you extra for something that other automakers provide for free or at significantly lower cost.

Do I like it? No. But I also knew what I was signing up for when I got the car.

 

[Isaac]

At least in Europe a decent part of the cost is to cover supplying an eSIM that works in 30+ countries. With native Apple Music and/or Spotify streaming, potentially gigabytes of data a month.

We run Saas company and one product uses a multi network eSIM and they are cheap as chips so that cant be the reason……

 

[r553]

I believe the soon to be available battery monitoring software needs the connection to report malfeasance in the HV battery, a valuable feature to prevent the car from burning your house down.

 

[jakeCT]

I suspect the Porsche Connect fee is to nudge owners to upgrade to a newer model with included Porsche Connect (planned obsolescence?).

With that said, I have been used to the utility and convenience of remotely checking and triggering lock/unlock, preconditioning the car especially when parked outside on a hot day, and checking on battery SOC from years of Tesla ownership.

Also the Comfort Access is not the most reliable and has unlocked the car seconds numerous times after locking…

For someone like myself who is paranoid that the car may be left unlocked, the monthly fee is justified and should avoid:
1) returning to car with missing items / damages / homeless person inside
2) being unaware of alarm triggering and missing the opportunity to check on car

I like the iOS widget as well!

There are iOS Shortcuts for preconditioning (and less useful ones like setting ambient lighting color). I am hopeful we will get Shortcut actions to Lock / Unlock which then can be automated, ex. When Carplay disconnects -> Lock car.

 

[Emm]

To me it's more about the principle, not the cost per se; I'm not paying an annual fee for using my car (besides insurance...) – I have bought it and I own it, but after three years the manufacturer wants me to pay them an annual fee for some basic functionality that I feel should have been included with the car's purchase. Regardless of the actual amount (agreed, $27 per month isn’t much), I don't like to feel forcibly bound like that.

 

[okkotonushi]

the crazy part as well is that the same app service and connectivity costs 1/3 for my 911...

 

[snstevens]

I've seen other threads like this one on the Forum and we seem to go over the same ground. Nothing wrong with that - we each feel differently about the subscription.

However, for the sake of those new to the discussion, attached below is a summary of what is in the Porsche Connect subscription, and which Porsche Connect services continue for 10 years (from Perplexity.ai but I don't see anything that doesn't look correct - YMMV).

Aside on 12V Battery Trickle Charging -- While I'm not sure why 12V battery trickle charging using a CTEK charger came up on this thread, I'm including a link here if someone wants to get one. Works like a charm for me and gives me peace of mind when on long trips (I connect directly to the battery, and leave the frunk hood open - the light in the frunk goes off automatically after a few minutes).

Personally, I like the services enough to justify getting the subscription (my wife's Lexus RX has a similar app and they charge $160/yr for the features we want - $320 if you get the feature set similar to the Porsche Connect) .

I also like the car enough that I just extended the warranty for another 48 months. Best car I've ever owned. ?

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Which Porsche Connect services on a Taycan require a subscription after the free period

After the initial free period (typically 3 years for new Taycan vehicles in the US), most Porsche Connect services require a paid subscription to continue use. Here’s a detailed breakdown of which services require a subscription:
Porsche Connect Services Requiring Subscription

• Remote Vehicle Access and Control
  • Remote lock/unlock via the My Porsche app
  • Remote climate control (preconditioning)
  • Remote battery and charging status checks
  • Remote start/stop charging and charging scheduling
  • Vehicle location and car finder functionality
• Navigation and Trip Planning
  • Real-time traffic information
  • Online route calculation and navigation updates
  • Charging Planner (optimal route planning with charging stops)
  • Charging station availability and pricing information
• Infotainment and Connectivity
  • In-car video and music streaming (e.g., ScreenHitsTV, Apple Music, Spotify, etc.)
  • App Center access for downloading and using supported apps
• Vehicle Status and Notifications
  • Vehicle status updates (battery, range, tire pressure, etc.)
  • Speed and geofencing alerts
  • Valet alarm notifications

Services That Do Not Require Subscription (Beyond Free Periods)

• Porsche Connect Care (includes Smart Service, Breakdown Call, and Over-the-Air software updates) is included free for 10 years from new.
• Manual key fob functions (such as standard lock/unlock and brief preconditioning when unlocked with the fob) remain available without subscription.
• Basic vehicle info (such as mileage and service history) may still be accessible in some regions or via certain dealership platforms, but most app-based remote features and real-time data are restricted.

Additional Notes

• Functions on Demand (FoD): Certain features such as Porsche Intelligent Range Manager, Power Steering Plus, Active Lane Keeping, and InnoDrive may require a separate purchase or subscription after a free trial.
• Pricing: In the US, the Porsche Connect subscription is typically around $319 per year after the initial 3-year period.

Summary Table

Service Category	Subscription Required After Free Period?
Remote lock/unlock	Yes
Remote climate control	Yes
Battery/charging status checks	Yes
Charging scheduling	Yes
Vehicle location/car finder	Yes
Real-time traffic/navigation	Yes
Charging Planner	Yes
In-car video/audio streaming	Yes
Vehicle status/notifications	Yes
Porsche Connect Care	No (free for 10 years)
Manual key fob functions	No

In summary: Almost all remote, connected, and app-based services require a paid subscription to continue after the initial free period, except for Porsche Connect Care (10 years free) and basic manual functions.

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