New Porsche Mission E is a Shot Fired Up Tesla's Nose
Porsche announced Friday that it would build its Mission E car — an all-electric sedan with looks that a Panamera would kill for — and sell the car by 2020. The Mission E concept was announced at Frankfurt earlier this year.
In addition to the car’s 0-60 mph time in under 3.5 seconds, the Mission E (no word on whether that is the final name) will also boast a 310-mile range and an 800-volt charge capability that could recharge the battery up to 80 percent in 15 minutes, providing you can find a charger for it.
Porsche didn’t announce pricing or availability yet, because presumably they’re figuring out exactly how much people will be willing to pay for the Stuttgart coat of arms and how many sales they’ve already lost to Tesla.
Porsche’s announcement may pose the biggest near-term threat to Tesla’s dominance of the luxury electric market.
In announcing the Mission E’s production Friday, Porsche also announced that it would spend $765 million to update its Stuttgart plant, including powertrain and body shop improvements.
That type of quick infrastructure spending is only something that deep-pocketed, established carmakers have access to, whereas Tesla’s portfolio is largely built slowly, model-by-model and without much of a net to catch it if the automaker stumbles.
Porsche’s Mission E is a significant step by the automaker, who only recently has devoted attention to electrification as a viable performance alternative.
“With Mission E, we are making a clear statement about the future of the brand. Even in a greatly changing motoring world, Porsche will maintain its front-row position with this fascinating sports car,” Wolfgang Porsche said in a statement.
Any guesses on when the next Tesla Model S will be coming?
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- Sayahh I do not know how my car will respond to the trolley problem, but I will be held liable whatever it chooses to do or not do. When technology has reached Star Trek's Data's level of intelligence, I will trust it, so long as it has a moral/ethic/empathy chip/subroutine; I would not trust his brother Lore driving/controlling my car. Until then, I will drive it myself until I no longer can, at which time I will call a friend, a cab or a ride-share service.
- Daniel J Cx-5 lol. It's why we have one. I love hybrids but the engine in the RAV4 is just loud and obnoxious when it fires up.
- Oberkanone CX-5 diesel.
- Oberkanone Autonomous cars are afraid of us.
- Theflyersfan I always thought this gen XC90 could be compared to Mercedes' first-gen M-class. Everyone in every suburban family in every moderate-upper-class neighborhood got one and they were both a dumpster fire of quality. It's looking like Volvo finally worked out the quality issues, but that was a bad launch. And now I shall sound like every car site commenter over the last 25 years and say that Volvo all but killed their excellent line of wagons and replaced them with unreliable, overweight wagons on stilts just so some "I'll be famous on TikTok someday" mom won't be seen in a wagon or minivan dropping the rug rats off at school.
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Teslas are ugly kit-cars and are not practical family-haulers in any way (as some comments above contend). A Tesla is like a piece of costume jewelry for the moneyed classes and my guess is members of that demographic will much prefer this far better-looking Porsche.
Just look at the german *actually available* electric cars and you'll get an idea of the commitment german automakers have for e-mobility. Except BMW, it's only announcements and showcars.