Prepare for the future

A look at some of the concept cars on display

What is it? On the surface, the Porsche Mission E Concept — should you choose to accept it — is the precursor to the German automaker’s first all-electric sports sedan. But it’s also a shot over the bow of California’s Tesla. Powered by a 600-horsepower electric system that gets channelled to all four wheels, the fourdoor, four-passenger Porsche electric concept sedan looks like a Tesla Model S wannabe.

Porsche says the Mission E can be driven up to 500 kilometres before needing to be plugged in, and then it only takes as little as 15 minutes to recharge. Also in theory: the Porsche EV can scoot from zero to 100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds.

Inside a cabin that is decidedly smaller than in the current Panamera four-door, the Mission E’s lack of a transmission tunnel adds a bit more room for its four passengers. The Mission E’s driver controls are where things get really conceptual. They use eye-tracking software, plus a front passenger-side hologram display (holograms!) that can be activated with hand gesture controls. Did we mention this was a concept?

Why does it matter? Holograms aside, the Mission E — along with the E-tron Quattro concept crossover from VW Group’s sister brand Audi — is clear evidence Elon Musk’s Tesla has shaken up the more established automakers.

When is it coming? Rumours of a smaller-than-a-Panamera Porsche sedan have been heating up recently. So in addition to the electric version, expect fossil-fuel power plants as well when this vehicle arrives, which will be no earlier than 2018.

Should you buy it? If you prefer to have your electric sports sedan come from Germany instead of California, and you can wait a few years, the Mission E could be just the ticket.