Porsche is set to rival Tesla with the slated release of its first fully-electric cars, Misson E, in 2019. What's more, it will not be just one model, but three.
First revealed at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September 2015, the German automaker says the upcoming vehicles will be an all-electric, four-dour, battery-powered all-wheel-drive, which will come in three trim levels. A front-wheel drive version is also expected to be released at a later date.
It might rival Elon Musk's Tesla Model S when it comes to range, size, and performance, but it would be a "real Porsche."
That means it would possibly be named in a similar way as its gasoline-run vehicles. That would be Carrera for the base car, Carrera S for the midrange vehicle, and Turbo for the top trim. As for power, it would be 402hp, 536hp, and 670hp, respectively.
The sedans will come in two-speed transmissions -- an in-town gear and a highway gear. With a maximum speed of 155 mph, the Mission E cars are pegged to be able to go from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds, and run for 300 miles on a full charge.
Design-wise, the Mission E cars will sport the signature luxurious style of Porsche, but with a toned-down appearance. They will sport regular doors, as opposed to the suicide doors of some high-end vehicles, and will also feature conventional headlights and roomier interiors. The last one is thanks to the electric powertrain, which should help free up a bit of room inside the car.
Porsche has yet to reveal the extent of autonomous technology in its Mission E cars. Previous reports, however, suggest that it would be at Level 4. That means, the cars could manage to go driverless on a highway, but would still require the assistance of a driver at a moment's notice.
As for price, the base car is expected to be launched at $75,000 sometime in 2019.
