Porsche, the sports car manufacturer well-established in performance and craftsmanship, is now seeking to establish a market to counter the dominance of Tesla in the luxury electric car segment.
Porsche recently unveiled its first electric concept, the Mission E, at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Observers commented it looked like a futuristic version of a Porsche 911. The German carmaker said the four-door Mission E will be able to drive approximately 310 miles on a single charge.
Porsche said the model should take 15 minutes to charge to about 80 percent of its capacity. The Tesla currently requires about 30 minutes to reach the same level of charge.
With an 80 percent capacity charge, the Porsche Mission E is predicted to travel 250 miles versus the Tesla’s 170-mile range with an 80 percent charge.
A Porsche spokesperson told CNNMoney that production of the Mission E car would be “feasible within the near future,” most likely at least five more years. It wants the electric Porsche to compete against the Tesla Model S.
The Porsche Mission E also boasts of some impressive engine statistics: an 800-volt electric powertrain, 600 horsepower and 0-60 mph acceleration in 3.5 seconds.
The Mission E will offer features such as gesture-activated controls, eye-tracking controls and some holographic images around the dashboard. Unlike its competition, the car can also be charged wirelessly.
Porsche said drivers will be able to park over a coil embedded in the floor of their garage and energy will transfer to the battery without cables.
Pricing for Porsche Mission E hasn’t been determined. A gasoline-powered two-door Porsche 911 is priced starting at $84,330 with and increase to $195,000 for Cabriolet S Turbo.
Article Last Updated: September 17, 2015.