According to Automobile magazine’s Georg Kacher, one of the very few to have driven Porsche’s sleek alabaster Mission E electric vehicle, the car will be offered at three power levels with the mightiest one coming in at an impressive 670 horsepower. That’s a lot of lightning-horses.
The three grades under consideration are 402 HP, 536 HP, and 670 HP which competes well with the dual-motor Tesla Model S, which offers vehicles ranging from a claimed 382 to 691 HP.
The Mission E divides its power between front and rear motors: the front motor makes 215 HP with 221 lb-ft of torque (though it can peak to 325 lb-ft), and the rear motor will be either 322 hp/251 lb-ft, or 429 hp/406 lb-ft. That’s a good amount of everything.
Unlike the mono-speed Tesla, the Porsche will use a two-speed transmission, though there are no plans (yet) for a manual two-speed, which sounds like fun to me. It’d be like playing Pole Position.
Porsche estimates the Mission E’s 0 to 60 time at something in the mid 3-seconds, and top speed will be limited to 155 mph, which should be adequate for most buyers.
The Mission E is smaller than a Panamera outside, but has more interior room, thanks to the packaging advantages afforded by an electric drivetrain.
With an expected range of about 300 miles, 80 percent charging in 20 minutes, and a fantastic design, this Porsche may finally be the Tesla’s worthy adversary.