Porsche goes Tesla Model S hunting with its Mission E Concept

Porsche Mission E Concept

 This is it people, Porsche has built the Tesla rival we all have been hearing about for the past few months. And what a car it is.

The key figures are: over 600hp, over 500km of driving range, 0-100km/h in under 3.5 seconds and a mind-blowing charging time of 15 minutes to reach a claimed 80 per cent charge. The power goes to all four wheels while there is also an all-wheel steering function. 

Porsche Mission E Concept

Porsche has developed the electric drivetrain using their expertise in motorsport and the 919 Hybrid racing program. The Mission E uses two electric motors, similar to those used by the endurance racer, which produce ‘over 600hp’ and allow the all-electric concept to sprint to 200km/h (124mph) in under 12 seconds which is a very serious claim. The all-wheel drive system features Porsche’s Torque Vectoring which distributes the torque individually to the wheels and combined with the all-wheel steering, Porsche says that the Mission E is ‘fit for the circuit race track’. They also say that their new all-electric toy is capable of lapping the Nürburgring Nordschleife under the eight-minute mark.

The reason why the German company says that the Mission E can charge up to 80 per cent in around 15 minutes lies within the voltage of it. With this concept, Porsche introduces an innovative 800-volt technology, which is double the voltage of ‘today’s electric vehicles’, including the Tesla Model S. This means not only shorter charging times but also less weight, as smaller, gage copper cables are sufficient for the required energy transport. The charging port can be accessed through a opening flap on the front left wing. Using Porsche’s Turbo Charging system via the 800-volt port can get the battery charged for around 400km of range in around 15 minutes, with the Germans claiming over 500km of total range on a single charge. 

The battery is mounted in the floor of the car, between the front and rear axles for the best possible weight distribution and low centre of gravity, a trick we first saw from the Tesla Model S. The whole body is made out of a mix of aluminum, steel and carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) with the wheels made of carbon completely, measuring 21in at the front and 22in at the rear. 

Design-wise, the Porsche Mission E is unmistakably sporty as hell, helped by its low height of just 130cm and its simple, curvy shape which integrates all the modern aerodynamic agenda without ruining the overall shape of it. 

The cabin offers four, individual race bucket seats and -as this is a concept- a minimalistic, clean environment with the latest screen and connectivity technology. Also witnessing the rear suicide doors on it, makes me think that we need more production cars with them on it. Way more. Porsche says that the Mission E can be configured externally via a tablet using over-the-air and remote services.

Porsche Mission E Concept

Although this is just a concept, we can fairly assume that Porsche has already scheduled the production version of the Mission E, with the next Panamera also expected to take styling cues out of the all-electric concept.