Porsche automobile company has been developing a new high-performance electric-powered vehicle to rival the Tesla Model S. The Tesla has received a lot of media attention for being possibly the fastest production car in the world, and this is astounding considering that it is propelled by an all-electric engine.
Being the prestigious auto maker that they are, Porsche is offering their ground-breaking rival machine at a very high price tag. The Porsche Taycan Turbo will have an MSRP of $153,310, and an even beefier version, the Turbo S, will be available for $187,610. The company is planning to roll out 20,000 of the 4-door sport sedans in its first year of production.
It’s interesting to note that half of the people who have stated an interest in the new Taycan own Teslas. This information comes from the CEO of Porsche North America, Klaus Zellmer. The CEO does not see his car as a direct competitor of the Tesla.
Zellmer credits Tesla with making technical progress in the development of battery-powered vehicles, and he declared his respect for that achievement. He does not believe that the Porsche brand will have very much similarity to the Tesla car because it is a high-end sports car brand that he feels has little in common with its competitor.
Zellmer explains that his cars are developed by testing on a race track to create the ultimate feel of performance and handling. Their new electric-powered cars are meant to continue in the tradition of Porsche performance without any reference to the Tesla vehicles.
Porsche has a diplomatic attitude toward Tesla, but their factories are poised to create a car to outperform the Tesla Model S and give it serious competition. Zellmer made a statement to Elon Musk, the co-founder of Tesla, that his cars could be profitable as well as eco-friendly.
The Tesla Model S will still have a greater range on a single battery charge than the Taycan. The Porsche will be able to run up to 280 miles on a single charge, but the Taycan has more efficient power recuperation to replenish its battery life than the Tesla. In terms of performance, the Taycan S will be faster than the Tesla. The Taycan will catapult from 0 to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds compared to the Tesla Model S that can reach 60 mph in 2.8 seconds. Both models of the Taycan will be able to reach a top speed of 161 mph.
Porsche has invested $6.6 billion dollars to convert their lineup to electric-powered vehicles. The company’s goal is to convert half their lineup to EVs by 2025. The ever-popular 911 will be the last model to join their offerings of electric and hybrid sports cars.
Porsche seems to be entering the EV market at an ideal time. Battery-powered vehicle sales increased by 51% in 2019 compared to 2018. This is in large part due to Tesla’s Model 3, which has the highest consumer demand of any motor vehicle. For people who are always looking for the latest, greatest thing, The Porsche Taycan is likely to garner their interest.
