MISSION E TO OFFER THREE POWER LEVELS

Fast, faster and, well, f'ing fast

As the pure-electric Mission E project approaches its 2019 launch window, news suggests that Porsche is planning three power levels for the new EV. Said to use existing and familiar branding from the Porsche stable, such as S, GTS and perhaps even Turbo, the three models will offer 300kw, 400kw and 500kw respectively.

That translates into roughly 400hp, 525hp and 650hp. The three levels mirror the triple-tier product stack that Porsche's likely main rival in the high performance electric market, Tesla, offers currently. The Model S can be had in 75D, 100D and P100D. In Tesla's case, the numbering reflects the capacity in kwh of the Model S's lithium battery packs.

There are also claims Mission E will be more competitively priced than previously thought with the entry-level model clocking in at a starting price of £60,000. Once again, that roughly aligns Mission E with the Tesla Model S. Porsche has also indicated that the introduction of electric powertrains opens up the possibility of unlocking performance and features post-purchase. In other words, it may be possible to upgrade one of the cheaper models, in performance terms at least, for a fee even after delivery much like downloading a software update for a smartphone.

The final production version of Mission E will be given a new name and goes on sale in late 2019. Porsche is also planning to work on a network of so-called supercharging stations to allow owners access to the car's ultra-fast charging capability, which Porsche argues is a better approach than loading the car with an absolutely massive battery.