Porsche unveils electric supercar
German automaker to unveil 600-horsepower electric sports concept
Goes 0-62 mph in less than 3.5 seconds.
Porsche, the German automaker synonymous with fast, sexy cars, is going to show Tuesday that it’s getting serious about electric cars.
In showing its new Mission E concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show, it joins a list of other famous European brands in saying the timing is finally right for electrics and are going after the leader, Caifornia’s Tesla Motors.
As envisioned, Mission E would be near the top of the pack in the electric-car performance game, packing the equivalent of 600 horsepower. Running entirely on advanced batteries, the car will be able to travel 310 miles on a single charge and be recharged up to 80% capacity in 15 minutes. It will be able to go from zero to 62 miles per hour in less than 3.5 seconds. Porsche says it will become a production car within the next five years.
“We have to prepare for the future, and now we believe the time is right for that,” says Wolfgang Hatz, Porsche’s research and development chief.
Porsche isn’t alone. Audi will show an e-tron quattro electric crossover concept at the Frankfurt show that could compete with Tesla’s similar model, which comes to U.S. highways at the end of the month. And Aston Martin said it will have its own electric version of its Rapide sedan that will be priced even higher than the premium Tesla Model S.