The Ultimate Electric Supercars are available now
Nothing has given the world of EVs more credence, or excitement, than the introduction of some of the most luxurious and most exciting performance cars. Circa 10 years ago, the concept of electrification was one of practicality bordering on frugality; images of box-like cars without any real design or style seemed to suggest a non-eventful automotive future for us all. Who really wanted to go electric when the vehicles were so slow and boring?
Did Tesla change the electric car market? Without a doubt, the pioneers of the electric car for mass-production have done so much for the EV cause. What Elon Musk, and the Tesla brand, have created in such a short space of times is astounding. In just a few years they took a platform, which was considered to be almost unviable, and have made it into the universally accepted future of motoring.
Not only have they created the most valuable car manufacturer in the world but they also created the leading battery technology, vehicle automation and some of the quickest vehicles on the planet (they are literally electric). Tesla brought a real acceptance to the car market by pushing boundaries which others thought was impossible.
As at 2021, their Model 3 has become a true best-seller/top leased vehicle in the UK and over the next few years will be the backbone of the UK’s electric car market. Additionally, their upcoming Model Y, S and X (due 2022), are set to build upon the current success. But, in the meantime, Tesla have nothing other than the Model 3 to sell or lease in the UK other than used car options
Is the Porsche Tacyan better than the Tesla product?
Is the Taycan a good car? In terms of pure sales volumes, it is fairly evident that the Tesla brand outsells Porsche somewhat significantly. But where it is now becoming interesting is that the removal of the existing Model S, until the new one launches towards the end of 2022, has left the Taycan without almost no competition.
This will allow Porsche to establish their brand so much easier and allow for a much better mass-production approach (as far as Porsche allow anyway). With no Tesla Roadster available either, even if the Tesla Model S launches earlier, the Taycan Saloon and Cross Turismo do have certain distinct advantages over the Tesla. And yes, the Taycan is very much a good car.
What makes the Taycan better than the Tesla? The most obvious point to begin with is the brand. However cool/futuristic/different Tesla is, the Porsche brand will always be the more admired, recognisable and aspirational.
The years of investment and creation of some of the most exciting and luxurious supercars, saloons, SUVs and Crossovers has set the Porsche brand as one of the best in the UK. With the exception of Lamborghini, Ferrari or Bentley, it is difficult to see a genuine competitor.
One of the frailties of Tesla is that it is a universal option and the vehicle was designed/produced in America. It does lack some of the aesthetics and features which European car manufacturers have so eloquently devised over the last few years.
While Tesla have the advantages on battery tech, charging infrastructure and self-driving capabilities, Porsche have a distinct advantage in looks, design and character. The Taycan provides the driver with the exceptional quality, and comfort, expected from a prestige marque.
However, the introduction of small tech features, like a digital display for the passenger and an electric sport sound, do show that Porsche have truly recognised where Tesla have got their vehicles just so right. And while the Porsche Taycan does have limited self-driving compared to the Tesla, the vehicles do have the option of active parking support, active lane keeping, adaptive cruise control, lane change assist and ParkAssist.
But which is faster – the Tesla or the Taycan? In any debate you need to firstly apply some detail and logic. Both Tesla and Porsche produce different vehicles with options centred around both performance and battery efficiency. For example, with the Taycan Saloon you have the following models (which also shows how much the Taycan costs):
- Taycan – at a cost of £70,690 the entry model produces 408ps, 0-62 times of 5.4 seconds and a top speed of 143 mph. Expect a range of 285 miles;
- Taycan S – at a cost of £83,580 the next level up offers a car with 530ps, 0-62 times of 4 seconds and top speeds of 155mph. Expect a range of 270 miles;
- Taycan Turbo – at a cost of £115,860 the next-to-best option offers 680ps, 0-62 times of 3.2 seconds and a 161mph top speed. Expect a range of 245 miles;
- Taycan Turbo S – at a cost of £138,830 the top of the line Turbo S offers 761ps, 0-62 times of 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 162mph. Expect a range of 245 miles.
But how does the Tesla Model S compare to the Taycan options above? As we have already highlighted the difficulty is that the Model S is no longer available to buy or lease in 2021. After 2020, Tesla announced some vehicle and battery revisions and so the vehicles currently shown on the website are intended to launch in 2022. However, the Tesla website does provide us with some indication as to what to expect. These include:
- Tesla Model S Long Range – at a cost of £83,890 the entry model will offer 0-62 times of 3.2 seconds, top speeds of 155mph and a battery range of 412 miles;
- Tesla Model S Plaid – at a cost of £110,980 the next-to-best Tesla will offer 0-62 times of 1.9 seconds and a whopping top speed of 200mph. All of this with an estimate battery range of 390 miles;
- Tesla Model S Plaid+ – at a cost of £139,980 this top of the line Tesla will offer just over 1000hp, 0-62 times of sub 1.9 seconds (the amounts are yet to be confirmed) and a whopping top speed of 200mph. What is truly fascinating about this car is the battery range of 500 miles+ Should this be accurate, we will have the most astounding battery set-up in an electric car.
So, as you see above, it depends on what vehicle/specification you choose as to which is the best (or fastest) in the Tesla v Porsche debate. Like many vehicles, it depends on what you pay as to what you get. However, should the Plaid and the Plaid+ arrive in the UK in 2022, it is fairly clear that these will not only be significantly quicker to 62 than the Porsche, their top speeds will be much higher and their battery ranges will be almost double. It may be that Porsche need to follow suit and move towards 300-400 mile range batteries to compete with their next models. Maybe an electric Macan or Cayenne will do this?
So is the Tesla better than the Porsche Taycan? What constitutes better is clearly down to the perspective of the customer. Are you looking for battery range or are you looking for individual style and the opportunity to build a bespoke vehicle? Both the Tesla Model S and the Porsche Taycan can be considered as a supercar. As such, in either case you, or your business, will receive an absolutely fabulous piece of electric automotive engineering.
So are you ready to lease a new Porsche Taycan but have a few questions first? Just see some of the most common FAQs for the new Taycan below:
In terms of the car shown, the Porsche TAYCAN SALOON 420kW 4S 93kWh 4dr Auto (Pure Electric Vehicle), this was based on the following specification:
Manufacturer Options
Volcano Grey Porsche metallic Paint
SportDesign package painted in high gloss black – Taycan
High gloss black side window trims
PORSCHE logo LED door courtesy lights
Model designation painted in high gloss black
Porsche surface coated brake (PSCB)
Sport chrono package – Taycan
Power steering plus
21″ mission E design alloy wheels
Wheel centres with full colour Porsche crest
Exclusive matrix LED headlights in glacier ice blue with Porsche dynamic light system plus
Panoramic roof with fixed glass panel
Privacy glass
Park assist including surround view
Lane change assistant
Adaptive cruise control
Race tex roof lining
Ambient lighting
14-way electric comfort front seats with memory pack
Front seat heating
Steering wheel heating in conjunction with sport chrono package and leather interior
Neodymium accent package – Taycan
Porsche crest on front headrest
BOSE surround sound system with 14 loudspeakers including subwoofer and total output 710 watts
Electric charging port cover
150 kW On board booster
Mobile charger connect
Public charging cable (Mode 3)
2+1 rear seat system
As standard the vehicle includes 4D integrate chassis, sound plus package, front seat heating, thermally insulated glass, cruise control, front and rear park assisting with audible warning, black accent pack, rain sensing wipers.
Auto hold function, brake assist, adaptive air suspension include active suspension management, adaptive damping system, PCM including navigation, apple carplay, power boot lid, 16” curved touchscreen.
Electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, 50kW DC on-board charger, 800V DC charging, 2 USB ports in the rear, 2 USB ports in the front, 4-point LED daytime running lights, parking pre-climatisation, LED interior lights, keyless drive, Porsche vehicle tracking system, red brake callipers, power steering and 19” alloys.
On the technical-side, company car and business users can note the P11d at £88,572.00 and CO2 at 0g/km. The 93kWh lithium-ion battery offers 530ps, 0-62 times of 4 seconds and top speed of 155mph. Service intervals on a Taycan are every 24 months or 20,000, whichever lands sooner.
In terms of range, expect between 200 and 225 miles in cold/winter weather and 260-300 miles in mild/summer weather. For charging, a 7.4kW home charging will take 13 hours to fully charge the Taycan, a faster 11kW AC will take 9 hours and a rapid charging 262kW DC will take 20 minutes for 20-80%.