Porsche celebrates 1.21 gigawatt milestone with Back to the Future tribute

Porsche has marked an iconic milestone in the expansion of its EV charging network, releasing a Back to the Future-inspired video featuring its Taycan sedan.

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There are 1.21 gigawatts (1.21 billion volts) of power now available across the US and European EV charging stations — a number made famous by ‘Doc’ Emmett Brown and his DeLorean time machine in the beloved film series.

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Released on ‘Back to the Future Day’ (October 21, the on-screen date Marty McFly travels through time), the video features a faithful replica of the DeLorean time machine, alongside an electric Porsche Taycan driven by Donald Fullilove. The actor is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Mayor Goldie Wilson in the movie franchise.

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In the first Back to the Future instalment, a small plutonium reactor feeds the DeLorean’s ‘flux capacitor’ enabling it to hop through time. There’s no artificial source for the power in 1955, forcing Doc and Marty to harness a lightning bolt instead — which can, in reality, produce several thousand gigawatts per strike.

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In the real world, Porsche Taycan drivers can now charge their cars at any of Electrify America's 670 stations or Ionity's facilities in Europe, which share 4800 individual chargers in total.

The first EV from Porsche debuted in 2019, and will be followed by an all-electric, next-gen Macan SUV in 2023.