Porsche Introduces Mission E Sedan, The 600HP ‘Tesla Killer’

Tesla Motors, the direct-to-consumer selling EV manufacturer, was introduced to some theoretically strong competition at the Frankfurt auto show. Porsche used the international stage of the Frankfurt auto show to unveil a concept car meant to compete with the Tesla Model S. The Porsche Mission E was introduced during the Volkswagen Group press conference at the Frankfurt auto show. On paper this vehicle is a challenger for the Tesla Model S.

The Porsche Mission E is a sleek sedan that claims to have more range than the Tesla Model S. The Mission E was announced with 310 miles of driving range. That’s 40 miles above the 270 miles Tesla is claiming for their Model S 85D. However, the Tesla number is pending confirmation from the EPA.

The Mission E will have 600 horsepower and has a zero-to-62 time of 3.6 seconds. The Tesla Model S P85D in Ludicrous speed mode will do 0-60 in 2.8 seconds and has 700 plus horsepower. However, there is one area in which the Porsche Mission E dominates the Tesla: charge time. The Porsche Mission E is supposed to reach an 80 percent charge in just 15 minutes. Using a specialized Tesla Supercharger, a Tesla Model S can get fully charged in 30 minutes. The Mission E uses an 800-volt electrical system, thus double that of the Model S.

The Mission E could be a stiff challenger for the Tesla Model S, no price or production date was given. However, a strong advantage for Tesla is that their Model S currently exists, while the Mission E is a concept.

The Porsche Mission E might prove to be a challenger one day for Tesla Motors, however, the vehicle will need to evolve with Tesla during the next few years as its likely that 310 miles of range and 15 minutes of charge time won’t stand out a few years down the road. Will Porsche, BMW or other companies who have introduced so-called “Tesla Killers” be able to pose a threat to the EV automaker?