Porsche to auction Taycan-based NFTs for charity

Porsche Australia has dipped a toe into the rapidly-developing non-fungible token (NFT) market, taking a series of Taycan-based examples to auction for charity.

An NFT uses blockchain technology (as used in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum) to certify a unique digital asset. You’ll find a more detailed explanation of NFTs here.

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Australian neo-expressionist Nigel Sense was commissioned to create a unique artwork, which was transferred onto a Taycan sedan. It was then shot by Melbourne-based architectural photographer, Derek Swalwell.

The images are accompanied by an original musical work composed by Gene Shill, a DJ and instrumentalist who has previously created tracks by sampling Porsche engine sounds. For these NFTs, Shill’s music is built around the sounds generated by a Taycan’s electric power unit.

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Three multimedia pieces will be auctioned on NFT marketplace SuperRare from December 7, with all proceeds going to the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art.

Porsche points out the NFTs have been minted as carbon neutral, thanks to the Porsche Impact carbon offset program. Controversy surrounds the environmental impact of the NFT market, mostly due to the power consumed by blockchain systems.

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CEO and managing director of Porsche Cars Australia Daniel Schmollinger said the Taycan is well-suited to NFT ventures like this one.

“It is the most digitally advanced car Porsche has ever created and we wanted to celebrate this by pushing the boundaries of traditional artwork on cars, turning inspired artwork into a digital asset,” he said.

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The art car will be exhibited in various locations over the next month, but Porsche has yet to release specific dates or locations.

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While this is Porsche Australia’s first NFT effort, the company as a whole has dabbled in similar charity sales before. In August, an exclusive design sketch from chief designer Peter Varga was auctioned as an NFT, fetching 30.25ETH (equal to around AU$126,000 at the time) for German charity Viva con Agua.

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April saw an actual Taycan art car auctioned in Switzerland, raising over AU$280,000 for a non-profit artist support organisation.