An electric sports car would have been a mere imagination a few years ago. But the car world is full of surprises, and its advancements know no bounds. Porsche has given the go-ahead to start mass production of Porsche Mission E, its all-electric sports car. Mission E will go on sale by the end of the decade and will compete with the Tesla and its Model S.
The car was revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September this year; however, it was initially shown off as a mere concept of what an all-electric Porsche sports car might look like. Just three months later, the German automaker has announced that a vehicle shaped from that concept will be available for sale from the year 2020. This truly marks a new era in the history of the Stuttgart-based manufacturer, as well as the history of sports car in general. Coincidentally, the parent company Volkswagen is dealing with its emissions scandal, in which it was found to be deliberately cheating diesel pollution tests in order to increase its sales in the US. As a result, the timing of the Mission E couldn’t be any more perfect.
In the brand’s words itself, the intention behind the Mission E concept is to “Combine outstanding driving performance with trendsetting day-to-day practicality”. The car runs on two electric motors, one powering each axle. It packs a surprising 592 HP, can rack up 0-60 kmph in 2 seconds, and possesses a healthy range of nearly 500 km. Not bad for a zero-emission electric car, eh?
The company says Mission E’s production will open up more than 1,000 new job opportunities at its Stuttgart headquarters. Meanwhile, the current engine manufacturing facility will be increased to handle the additional workload of electric motors. An investment of nearly Rs. 50,000 crores will be made into the company’s main factory, as it plans to add a new paint shop and assembly plant.
In spite of the benchmark that the Le Mans-winning 919 Hybrid has become, and the efficiency and high performance Porsche can boast about it, perhaps Porsche’s claim about Mission E’s charging time is the most impressive. The company says by charging for a mere 15 minutes, the car can recharge by 80%, producing a range of 425 km as a result. Porsche will hope this unique quality can give its competitor Tesla Model S a run for its money.
By the year 2020, the market is expected to be flooded with more all-electric cars. Both Google and Apple are targeting the end of the decade for releasing their own electric cars. In 2017, Tesla will be launching the Model 3, its cheapest and smallest electric car yet. Despite these expected developments, Porsche’s Mission E remains the car the world is waiting for with bated breath. If the company can deliver on these promises, the Mission E will be nothing short of a milestone in the company’s illustrious history. Till then, wide-eyed and awed, we wait.
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