So this shouldn't be compared with Tesla's current offering. This is going to have to compete with the products Tesla are making in ~5 years time. Statements like "It charges in 15 minutes, faster than Tesla's superchargers" are effectively meaningless unless Tesla make absolutely no improvements to their charging technology over the next half decade. I think Tesla have the edge here.
The thing that isn't mentioned here is that setting up a 400V charging station is already expensive. Tesla has taken up this expense themselves creating its SuperCharger (400V) network that all Tesla owners can use for free. I don't see anything in this article indicating Porsche is planning to do the same with 800V chargers. If they are that would be amazing, but I doubt it. Setting up 800V charging stations would be even more expensive than the 400V ones Tesla has invested heavily in.
Honestly, the best thing VAG (VW Audi Group, who own Porsche) and all other EV manufacturers could do is put a Tesla SuperCharger port in their vehicles to allow for using the SuperCharger network.
Of course there are two caveats: (1) the new Porsche doesn't quite exist yet, but also (2) I think Tesla could fairly easily respond with the same charge time.
As I understand it, Superchargers skip the Tesla's onboard chargers (that normally do AC to DC conversion) and use their own array of chargers working in parallel to deliver direct current right to the battery as fast as it can take it.
So it feels like Tesla could provide 800V chargers with little to no modification needed to the cars. Does that sound right? I know they've been experimenting with higher voltage chargers.
They are not comparing cars. They are comparing technologies.
Imagine Apple had revealed the iPhone in 2007... And compared it to a 2002 Nokia.
We already know it will be significantly better in at least one way - the Maximum Plaid acceleration will probably give it a ~2.5s acceleration from 0-62 miles. And Porsche's increase in mileage 5 years from now compared to current top of the line Model S seems tiny as well, and my guess is the new top of the line Roadster will have at least 20-30% better mileage as well.
[1] http://www.theverge.com/2015/7/17/8994649/new-tesla-roadster...
Because right now it is sad compared to a Hyundai. It is a downright joke compared to a Porsche.
The Porsche is a premium luxury vehicle in which most of the drivers are rarely going to give a crap about 2.5s acceleration spec.
Totally agree. The Porsche outside my office window belongs to the CEO of the neighbour company. The Tesla belongs to the chairman of the board. They are both up in luxury territory because they are both really expensive cars.
Tesla wants to fight BMW and possibly but less importantly Porsche - their interiors and build quality needs to match the price tag. No exceptions.
I prefer it despite only being available on the 'economy' trim model as a large touch screen is embedded in everything else.
That said, this is the first car I've found interesting since I bought a Tesla. With everything else, it's eh--it's probably loud, vibrates, has jerky acceleration, drips on the garage floor, makes me stand in the cold while I fill it with gas, uses old "tiny explosions under the hood" technology.
Should we criticize the best because it could be better? Of course, that's how we make progress. Would I prefer a different car with a better interior but a bunch of other compromises? No way.
Obviously that leads to some weird contradictions since the plan is to fund that by selling little sportscars, then high-end sedans, then high-end SUVs, before the still relatively high-end 3, but not spending too much time on the luxury interior does kind of fit with that ethos.
My point is that the interior, which is actually great but could possibly be better, isn't really important to me when nearly every other aspect of the car is amazing and better than anything else I would consider in its price range.
For that very reason, Tesla should keep their eyes on them and the buying public should take note whenever Porche's electric offering hits the market.
The upshot is that Tesla will not have this market to themselves forever. So that's probably bad for TSLA shareholders and good for the low emission* car buying public.
The gigafactory is probably a direct response to the their knowledge that they won't have the high performance electric car market to themselves forever.
* assuming your electricity is not generate by a coal fired plant.
Tesla are at least 5 years ahead. What a total embarrassment from Porsche.
Tesla has a lot done for the market of electric vehicles, but they also need to make money.
Perhaps not:
http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/09/14/apples-project-tit...
And also Tesla isn't exactly making a lot of money right now. And this is just selling in a handful of countries as opposed to Porsche which is selling in most of them.
It's ridiculous to assume that Porsche is talking about taking 5 years to productize today's tech. Their tech will evolve just as anyone's and a car that ships will be way different from what they showed today.
What you are missing is that Porsche has batteries that charge in 15 min and power driving for 400 km. They can do it now and Tesla can't (or Musk would've demo'ed it already). That's direct and accurate apples to apples comparison, so, no, Tesla doesn't have an edge. Not here.
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motor-shows-frankfurt-moto...
These are just ideas and concepts at this point. Why does Tesla get credit, but Porsche is ridiculed for them?