Porsche Electric Car To Compete With Tesla Model S

 

At the Frankfurt Motor Show this past September, Porsche unveiled their opening gambit into the all-electric vehicle market with a concept car called Mission E. Today, the Stuttgart-based automaker confirmed that all systems are go to bring the car into production.

 The production model of Mission E is positioned to be a direct competitor to the Tesla Model S. With its four-door, sleek and sporty design, the Porsche will boast 600 horsepower output and a 0-60 sprint time of less than 3.5 seconds, comparable to the Model S in Ludicrous Speed mode. The major differences, and likely what has Telsa’s attention, is the Porsche’s 310 mile range, as well as an 800-volt charging system that will deliver an 80 percent charge in just 15 minutes.

Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Porsche AG, noted that the recent announcement was “making a clear statement about the future of the brand.” Oliver Blume, Chairman of Porsche’s Executive Board, furthered the point that Porsche would be offering stiff competition in the electric vehicle race, stating “we are resolutely taking on the challenge of electric mobility. Even with solely battery-powered sports cars, Porsche is remaining true to its philosophy and offering our customers the sportiest and technologically most sophisticated model in this market segment.”

The Mission E project, added Blume, “underlines the importance of Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen as a production site,” as the company will be investing over $1 billion in a new assembly plant, dubbed Factory 4.0, which will include new paint and body shops to accommodate the inclusion of electric motors in its factory line at the current headquarters. The company also projects adding 1000 new jobs to fulfill expansion demands.

As a result of increasingly strict fuel emission standards from US and European authorities, Porsche has been working with batteries for several years now, with notable results. Currently offering gas-electric hybrid versions of their Panamera and Cayenne models, Porsche has also successfully raced their 911 and 918 hybrids, the latter winning at Le Mans earlier this year.

Porsche has yet to announce a release date for the Mission E, but certainly has the industry’s attention, as many will be keeping an eye on developments from the iconic carmaker.

With well-established manufacturers stepping into electric-vehicle production, do you see startups and newer players like Tesla being able to successfully compete in the long term?