Barely Clothed Mission E Caught Out Testing!
We all have been waiting to see Porsche's competitor to Tesla in the arena that is electric powered vehicles. From the looks of it, we won't have to wait that much longer.
Looking good
For those of us keeping tabs on the whereabouts of the Mission E ( I may or may not have a series of post-it notes on my wall keeping track), it's been almost two years since we first got to see the concept car roll across the world's stage. Porsche has promised us a range capable and performance oriented EV that will take on Tesla and look to beat them at their own game. Well to be the best you have to beat the best and that is precisely why there are not just a Model S but also a Model X accompanying the Mission E.
Said Chairman of the Porsche Executive Board, Dr. Oliver Blume: "We are resolutely taking on the challenge of electric mobility. Even with solely battery-powered sports cars, Porsche is remaining true to its philosophy and offering our customers the sportiest and technologically most sophisticated model in this market segment." Blume added that the Mission E project underlines the importance of Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen as a production site, of Baden-Württemberg as a center of technology and of the whole German automotive industry.
>>Join the conversation about the new Mission E Out Testing right here in Rennlist.
Exterior changes
Besides the aspect that Porsche is playing no games when it comes to this vehicle is how little the styling has changed from the concept. Of course, the concept was still more outlandish than this version that's on the road but that's to be expected of any car that is making the journey from design exercise to roadworthy wheels. The super low hood and tall fenders from the concept have been elevated and the latter lowered for a less striking nose. The widebody design from the concept has also been toned down to a more lane friendly proportion.
>>Join the conversation about the new Mission E Out Testing right here in Rennlist.
The purported specs
The very "near production" version of the Mission E looks visually to be the meeting ground between a Panamera and a 911. The benchmarks that we were given for the car is around 310-330 mpg of range from batteries that will be supplied from Hitachi. When the batteries are drained they will supposedly be hastily charged up to 80% in the short time of just 15 minutes. When it comes to the power coming from the car there is a 0-60 time of 3.5 seconds and 590 horsepower thanks to two motors. While not as fast as the (take a deep breath) 2018 Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid it won't be as expensive as that car either. The Mission E will be offered at around half the price as the Panamera rocket sled at around $100,000. However, we suspect that Porsche will stay true to the history and offer various incarnations of the Mission E at various levels of performance and perhaps range limits.
>>Join the conversation about the new Mission E Out Testing right here in Rennlist.
Interior modifications
Taking a page from Elon's book of making the Tesla smarter, the Mission E will get over-the-air updates and have autonomous features. “There are situations in traffic jams where you will be able to read a newspaper, but our customers take pleasure from driving and this will remain,” Porsche chairman Blume remarked to Autocar. A big difference between the Model S and the Mission E is that the Tesla's interior is a 5 seat +2 configuration making it a family sedan while the Porsche has suicide doors that open up to 4 seats making it a performance saloon. Tech site electrek believes that after seeing the Mission E during an event last month in Norway that Porsche has done away with the suicide doors in favor of normal doors and the addition of another seat.
>>Join the conversation about the new Mission E Out Testing right here in Rennlist.
The performance EV
Porsche has stated that the Mission E will reach production by 2020 and should be on sale in 2019. Looking at the car in these photos that's not hard to believe at all. The concept car would have an 800-volt electrical system which is unheard of since the marketplace uses 400-volt hardware. The brand explained that the new tech will bring the benefits of weight reduction and shorter charging times. Keep in mind that this car, much like what Tesla had to endure, requires the layout of a charging infrastructure that can support it. Fortunately, Porsche is looking ahead and has recently begun installing 800-volt charging stations. The Mission E will put Porsche on a road towards the future that is just as scary as it is exciting, and we, along with the rest of the enthusiasts, can't wait to see where it takes the brand.
>>Join the conversation about the new Mission E Out Testing right here in Rennlist.
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