Tesla Model S Shoppers May Want to Hold Out for The Porsche Taycan

Since they began deliveries in 2014, Tesla's Model S has been the most affordable and practical electric car available. Since then, Tesla has further cemented its name in the marketplace, become the premier marque for electric vehicles. Now, however, a new entry into the market makes Tesla's already difficult financial situation less sure. Porsche has announced that the recently named Taycan electric sports car will be on the roads in 2019 - in the same price bracket as the Tesla Model S.

Competition is heating up for Tesla Model S.

When the Tesla Model S was first unveiled in 2012, it was the most advanced EV ever sold. 6 years later, it is still the first car most people think of when electric vehicles are mentioned. Tesla's place as the foremost electric vehicle company has gone mostly unchallenged, but recently, competition has started to increase as more and more companies are bringing vehicles to market, such as Porsche and the new Taycan.

Porsche Tycan: an untested car from a trusted company

Porsche's reputation is not for electric cars, and in terms of sales, this will be an advantage which the Tesla Model S will have over the Porsche. But in terms of electrifying their models, Porsche has been dabbling in hybrids in racing for some time, and Porsche's hybrid supercar, the 918, has been received with good reviews and impressed owners. Sure, hybrids are not electric cars, and experience in hybrids does not translate perfectly to a vehicle without an internal-combustion engine, but it's experience which goes beyond that of other companies who have entered the EV market.

Comparing the Taycan to the Tesla Model S

The specifics on the Taycan are provided by Porsche, and so have not been confirmed by any independent testing, but the figures put the car just above the Tesla Model S 75D (the closest price comparison) in a few areas. The big two in terms of performance are the 0-60 and the horsepower (torque would perhaps be a better metric, but the torque number has not been reliably released for the Taycan). In acceleration to 60mph, the Porsche has a half-second advantage, not insignificant when the Tesla already does an impressive 4.2 second 0-60. The horsepower numbers have a similar difference: the Porsche puts out an estimated 600 horsepower, which is more than 80 over the Tesla Model S 75D number.

Porsche: Late to the game

Where the Tesla shines is in the practical side of the equation. While the Porsche is set to have the greater range, Tesla's greater amount of experience in the market has allowed it to go through the teething pains of a new model, indeed an entirely new kind of car, with relatively little competition. As a result, living with a Tesla has gotten easier and easier as the company has been able to make improvements. The Porsche will be able to take advantage of the greater ease which as been added to living with any EV (more public charging facilities, government grants, etc.), but has some catching up to do. Tesla has supercharging stations which allow recharging in around 30 minutes. These would not be usable for Porsche's Taycan.

Porsche promises to build their own equivalent, 500 of them in the States, by 2019. Time will tell if this promise will be kept, but it seems reasonable to say that the choice is between greater practicality and experience with the Tesla Model S, and greater performance with the Taycan