Tesla’s Ludicrous Mode just a façade – Porsche exec

Porsche Mission E Concept-01

The Porsche Mission E concept first broke cover at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, and has since been confirmed for production. Automobile Magazine recently had a chat with Porsche personnel find out the progress on the all-electric sports car.

Aside from being told that the Mission E will be “something special,” and that a lot of work is being done to make sure it’s “a true Porsche through and through,” it is the words of a Porsche exec that truly livened things up.

“It’ll be something entirely different than any of its competitors, across the board. The thing about (Tesla’s) Ludicrous Mode is that it’s a façade. Two launches saps the whole battery. That won’t be the case with the Mission E. You’ll be able to run it hard, over and over; the battery will not overheat, the power control module will not overheat, and the seats will not suck,” he said.

Porsche Mission E Concept-03

Strong words indeed, but we’ll have to wait for production version of the Mission E to debut to see if Porsche has a strong case. In its concept form, the Mission E is powered by a pair of permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM), with total output equivalent to 600 hp. With all-wheel drive and four-wheel steering, the concept is said to lap the Nurburgring in under eight minutes.

This allows the Mission E to complete the 0-100 km/h sprint in just 3.5 seconds. Operational range is touted at more than 500 km, and with a specially-developed 800-volt Porsche Turbo Charging system, it is capable of giving the lithium-ion batteries 80% charge in just 15 minutes. The production version of the Mission E is said to remain true to the Frankfurt concept.

Porsche isn’t the only company to downplay one of Tesla’s features. Volvo too had a stab at Tesla’s much-hyped Autopilot feature, calling it an “autonomous wannabe,” in spite of its “life-saving” feats. Porsche versus Tesla, pick a side.

GALLERY: Porsche Mission E concept

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Gerard Lye

Originating from the corporate world with a background in finance and economics, Gerard’s strong love for cars led him to take the plunge into the automotive media industry. It was only then did he realise that there are more things to a car than just horsepower count.

 

Comments

  • Yeah until Tesla kicked the fully electric vehicle door wide open these fossil fueled companies were doing jack bringing it to the masses. Now that Tesla has demonstrated the viability of an electric transport ecosystem, everyone wants a piece of the future. Well stop talking and go get it done then. Its good for us punters and good for the planet. Plus Tesla’s rapidly maturing electric technology is ready and waiting for its competitors to catch up – bring on b***hes.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 22 Thumb down 15
    • nabill (Member) on Jun 20, 2016 at 7:18 pm

      U should google how much natural earth resources those battries consume to be produced.. Mother earth wont thank u for it…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 27 Thumb down 7
      • You need not Google how much fossil fuels are polluting the Earth and causing rapid climate change. Everything we do affects the Earth. The trick is finding a way to minimise the bad effects. Going electric is the first step. There are going to be trade-offs. Rare earth mining does not need to be as destructive as it is now if man is not greedy and disrespectful of life including his fellow men.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
      • DI Zachs on Jun 20, 2016 at 10:25 pm

        “U should google how much natural earth resources those battries consume to be produced.. Mother earth wont thank u for it…”

        You mean Mother Earth thanks us for dredging up fossil fuels, AND burning them? ;)

        Okay, back on point: Yeah, lithium battery production DOES pollute the environment. About the equivalent of 48,000km driving in a conventional vehicle, and NONE afterwards. (1)

        What about driving in a petrol-powered vehicle? You’re polluting the environment every single effing second from the moment you turn the damn key.

        …whereas batteries just suck up the power you’re already producing from power plants.

        Source: (1) http://www.environment.ucla.edu/media/files/BatteryElectricVehicleLCA2012-rh-ptd.pdf

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
    • Sorry Roc, you surely don’t understand anything at all about the motorvehicles industry. Tesla is a testbed. It has yet to achieve profits and without further capital injection, the company would not achieve profits even by 2025. Additionally, it does not have the volume or the scale manufacturing ability for it to increase its revenues. Also, fellow American car companies refuse to go to bed with them, as they see them as just a phase in the industry. On the other hand, Porsche is the world’s most profitable car company and it has the highest margins in the car industry. Everyone in the car industry sees them as the benchmark to follow, be it in performance or technology. Maybe you should study the entire car industry, evolution of technology and future markets, before you come up with assumptions such as what you have mentioned above.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 1
      • SORRY PH7. If the full-electric market wasn’t viable, why is the “world’s most profitable car company (your words)” *finally* is developing one?

        Tesla opened doors. There are die-hard Tesla fanatics, committing to the Tesla 3 even before it starts production.

        Porsche is playing catch up after years of polluting the planet with emissions.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 6
        • elderly man on Jun 21, 2016 at 4:45 pm

          “a” you are obviously a young boy. Study more and you will find answers to all your questions in life.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 4
    • Despite the hype, Tesla tech are available in most other big car companies. Yet, Tesla excels in PR exercise and PR is everything. It is all about marketing nowadays. Do it properly and there will always people who is willing to even die to defend them. Techwise, Volvo does offer a better autonomous mode and even BMW i8 has a much better tech for electric car but at a price of course.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 5
  • I will still pick Proton. With the new engine developed by Petronas, it will be something revolutionary. Porsche just have old design aplied again and again.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 18 Thumb down 16
    • Nikola Tesla on Jun 20, 2016 at 10:16 pm

      Why are you so obsessed with Proton? Are you a Proton stalker?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  • Jobless on Jun 20, 2016 at 10:36 pm

    No fake exhausts here

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • kadajawi (Member) on Jun 21, 2016 at 2:02 am

    A 4 door Porsche that doesn’t look terrible? That, in fact, is very attractive and well proportioned? What happened?!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  • stram on Jun 21, 2016 at 10:28 am

    easy to say when you don’t have production car on the road yet. let see how well you perform when you have the ‘actual’ one.

    Meanwhile Tesla is already on the road and will keep getting better.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
 

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